Melbourne, Feb. 2 : Ricky Ponting is opening himself up to "question marks" by taking a break from the current Chappell-Hadlee one-day series between Australia and New Zealand, claimed former captain Steve Waugh.

Ponting will be rested from the next two one-day matches against New Zealand after featuring in every game this summer.

"(With) the players choosing to play the IPL and choosing all these other opportunities, there''s got to be question marks thrown up when people say they want to rest. They''re committing to play more cricket," the Herald Sun quoted Waugh, as saying.

Waugh added: "Really, Ricky is the only one who can answer that - is he mentally and physically fatigued, is he better off having a couple of games (out), will he come back fresher and stronger for the team?"

Waugh said he was loathe to rest when he led the team.

"I really don''t know, because I think as a captain I didn''t rest, so we didn''t really throw that scenario up," he said.

Waugh is more confident that young New South Wales opener Phil Hughes has done enough to justify selection for the South Africa tour.

"He''s much more ready to play at 20 than I was, looking at the way he plays the game. He''s got fantastic temperament ... that, at the top level, is probably the main ingredient. I think he''s got the goods. They wouldn''t be doing anything wrong by picking him ... I''d pick him," Waugh said. (ANI)