Sydney: Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland will demand an explanation from skipper Ricky Ponting over his tactics in the field on day four of the fourth Test against India in Nagpur.

Ponting turned to occasional bowlers Cameron White and Mike Hussey at the start of yesterday's third session in what appeared to be an attempt to catch up on slow over rates.

But with India faltering at 166 for six in their second innings and leading by just 252 runs overall, many expected Ponting to stick with front line quicks Mitchell Johnson and Brett Lee.

A one-game ban may have followed such a decision - with the International Cricket Council automatically suspending the captain for the next Test if a team finishes a match more than five behind on the over rate - but Ponting's bowling changes handed the hosts the initiative at a vital stage.

"I haven't had a chance to talk to Ricky about what went on during the tea break and what the messages were that came from the umpires," he said.

"And until I have had a chance to speak to Ricky it's really difficult for me to comment.

"I might be concerned, I might not be," he said.

"It depends on getting a clear understanding of the circumstances that ensured we played the way we did after the tea break."

When asked if Ponting had placed avoiding suspension ahead of winning the Test match, Sutherland replied: "I am not going to being drawn on an answer to that question.

"After the Test match I will look forward to having a chat to Ricky and getting a feel for the actual circumstances that he and (coach) Tim (Nielsen) faced in drawing the conclusions they did."

While Sutherland refused to criticise Ponting, he did express his concern about the slow over rates of both Australia and India throughout the current Test series in which both sides have consistently failed to bowl the standard 90 overs in a day - even with the benefit of the extra 30 minutes of play after the scheduled time for stumps.

"In a broad sense I have major concerns about over rates in international cricket," Sutherland said. "And generally speaking the public deserves more in terms of over rates and it's something we will be taking up with the ICC."

Agencies

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