Victorian batsman Brad Hodge has been recalled to the Australian one-day international squad for Thursday's VB Series clash with Sri Lanka in Adelaide after selectors decided to rest captain Ricky Ponting.
Adam Gilchrist, who returns after a two-game spell, will take over the captaincy with Michael Hussey promoted to the vice-captaincy.
Hodge, who belted a match-winning century against New South Wales in the Twenty20 Big Bash final, toured New Zealand for the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy but was replaced by Damien Martyn for Australia's first four matches of the VB Series
National Selection Panel chairman Trevor Hohns said selectors would continue to manage the workload of senior players throughout the summer.
"We feel that Ricky Ponting needs and deserves a break. He has played every match for Australia in all forms of the game for the past 10 months, and we think this is the right time for him to allow his body to rest," said Hohns, who also announced that the squad will now be selected on a game-by-game basis.
"Brad Hodge is a logical replacement to bat at No.3. He played exceptionally well during the Twenty20 match on the weekend and was a successful replacement for Damien Martyn in the middle order for the Chappell-Hadlee Series in New Zealand last month."
Ponting said it had already been a long summer and the time was right for him to freshen up in the lead-up to the final part of the VB Series.
"These rests have been done before and we have found that when the guys have a chance to have a break, the results indicate that it is good for them."
