Ricky Ponting for “different” approach in T20 format

Mumbai, Oct 21 : After having failed to impress much in the shortest version of cricket, Australia skipper Ricky Ponting has said that his team needs to change its game plan in the Twenty20 format.

"I think we have to all be aware of that and to make sure that in the next Twenty20 event we go into, we try a little bit different. We try more dynamic sort of stuff that you have to encounter in this game," Ponting told reporters after the seven-wicket defeat at the hands of India her at the Brabourne Stadium.

Pointing out that any mistake made in T20 games can be “magnified very quickly,” Ponting said the team made too many faults giving the game to India.

“As you saw tonight…getting the first ball spelled off a no ball and the next ball too I think called it a deep square leg he tried it for a six…So, little things like that you can't afford to happen in the game. Who knows had we got (Gautam) Gambhir right then it might have been a different game. But we made the mistake and we paid the price," he said.

He also said that Australia looked forward to playing more matches against this younger generation of Indian cricketers.

Gambhir scored a half-century to power India to a seven-wicket victory over the visiting Australian team in a one-off Twenty20 international. The left-handed opener cracked 63 and shared two useful partnerships to help the hosts, the World Champions in this form of the game, achieve the target of 167 with 11 balls to spare.

Lauding the innings of Gambhir and Robin Uthappa, Indian captain Mahendra Dhoni said that the youngsters like them have matured, and they were playing sensibly.

“I think in Twenty20 we are using more head than in the 50 overs game. They are batting really well and aggressive,” Dhoni said.

Meanwhile, a bevy of Bollywood stars, including Shah Rukh Khan and Sunil Shetty with their wives Gauri and Mana, and actress Deepika Padukone, were present for the match to cheer on the Indian team.

Padukone said the national team played excellently.

"Congratulations, and I think he's (Dhoni) done a good job leading the team…I think Gambhir played well," she said.

Padukone rebuffed speculations that she was specially invited to the match by the Indian skipper.

"No, I am here as any spectator and I was here to cheer the team," she said. (ANI)

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