01 July,2009 08:16 AM IST | | WORCESTER
Australia captain Ricky Ponting said yesterday he was taken aback by former England skipper Michael Vaughan's decision to retire from cricket. Vaughan, England's Ashes -winning captain in 2005 when Ponting was his opposite number, called time on his professional career with immediate effect yesterday.
The 34-year-old batsman made the decision to quit after failing to win a place in England's 16-man Ashes training squad ahead of next week's first Test against Australia in Cardiff.
Ponting, who will lead Australia in a four-day warm-up match against the England Lions here at New Road starting today, was convinced his old rival still had an international future ahead of him.
"I must admit I am a bit surprised by his retirement," Ponting said. "It is only a couple of months ago that I was thinking he might be named in the first Test squad by England.
"I thought he might have a bit more to offer international cricket somewhere down the line.
"With him being a contracted player, I thought there was a chance he might have found himself back in the Ashes squad.
