Ponting is fine - Cricket Australia

Ricky Ponting's wrist injury is "not a big deal" according to team physio Alex Kountouris

Buy this photo

Cricket Australia have dismissed media speculation that Ricky Ponting’s career is under threat due to a chronic wrist injury.

It has been suggested the Australia captain’s career could be cut short or that he could have to give up at least one form of the game because of the problem.

However, Australia team physio Alex Kountouris said while Ponting was still battling some pain associated with the wrist surgery he had in July - after being forced home during the one-day series in the West Indies and then missing the limited overs fixtures with Bangladesh in Darwin in August and September - he is able to manage the problem.

"His career is not under any jeopardy in my opinion," Kountouris said amidst speculation that Ponting, who turns 34 in December, will have to consider giving up playing either one-day internationals or Twenty20 matches in order to prolong his Test career.

Ponting will visit specialist Greg Hoy tomorrow but Kountouris insisted that was only a routine follow-up appointment following his surgery in July.

"It's not as big a deal as everyone is making to be honest," added Kountouris.

"He had an appointment to see the specialist six weeks ago during this break (between Test series) and he just confirmed that appointment.

"He had surgery four months ago and it is fairly routine for Ricky to see the specialist and see how he is progressing and depending on what the surgeon thinks tomorrow we will have some sort of management plan for him."

While Kountouris confirmed Ponting was in some discomfort with the injury - which flares if he has a long stay at the crease - he said his situation was no different to other players who carried minor injuries into matches.

Kountouris helps Ponting stretch at the World Cup last year at Basseterre in St Kitts and Nevis

Buy this photo

"He is actually functioning okay,” he added. "He is fit to play - he has got a little bit of pain in his wrist which is no more what other players have in other parts of their body so he is not really having anything of any significance that he has to miss any game."

Ponting has not even missed a training session because of the injury since his surgery.

"The first thing that goes (if a player is struggling with injury) is training," Kountouris said.

"If we were worried about him he wouldn't be training every time, but he trains more than anyone else in the team so we are not even concerned enough for him to stop training at this point in time."

Kountouris, who has been managing Ponting's injury with a combination of ice and painkillers, says he expects the Australia skipper to continue playing all three forms of the game for as long as he wants to.

"He won't have to give up one form of the game because of his wrist - I don't know what is going to happen years down the track," he said.

"I am not even thinking of him missing a Test match, far from (this injury) ending his career and for me there is absolutely no truth to that suggestion at all."