<p>Ponting said Katich was also within his rights to criticise his treatment by the selectors and Cricket Australia (CA) in comments he made during a press conference last week.<br /><br />Katich, a 56-Test veteran, said he was stunned to be told last week that he had been cut from Cricket Australia's 25-man list of contracted players for the 2011-12 season, despite being one of the country's most consistent performers.<br /><br />The 35-year-old opening batsman said the decision was "absolutely ridiculous" and Ponting said Katich's criticism was warranted.<br /><br />"It's fair to say he didn't hold back in his press conference and rightly so as well," Ponting said on a television sports programme yesterday.<br /><br />"To be omitted from the contract list was a great shock to him. It was a shock to me. I was surprised that he wasn't named.<br /><br />"His performance in the last two or three years has been as good as anybody's in the world."<br /><br />Asked if he meant his comments to be a criticism of the selectors, Ponting added: "You can make of that whatever you like. I would have liked to have another old bloke around the group with me, yeah," Ponting said.<br /><br />Ponting and Mike Hussey, both 36, have been retained as CA contracted players and Ponting will play as a batsman only in the Test and one-day sides after giving up the captaincy to his deputy Michael Clarke.<br /><br />"It puts us 36-year-olds on notice now, Mike Hussey and myself. It's going to make us work that little bit harder," Ponting said.</p>
<p>Ponting said Katich was also within his rights to criticise his treatment by the selectors and Cricket Australia (CA) in comments he made during a press conference last week.<br /><br />Katich, a 56-Test veteran, said he was stunned to be told last week that he had been cut from Cricket Australia's 25-man list of contracted players for the 2011-12 season, despite being one of the country's most consistent performers.<br /><br />The 35-year-old opening batsman said the decision was "absolutely ridiculous" and Ponting said Katich's criticism was warranted.<br /><br />"It's fair to say he didn't hold back in his press conference and rightly so as well," Ponting said on a television sports programme yesterday.<br /><br />"To be omitted from the contract list was a great shock to him. It was a shock to me. I was surprised that he wasn't named.<br /><br />"His performance in the last two or three years has been as good as anybody's in the world."<br /><br />Asked if he meant his comments to be a criticism of the selectors, Ponting added: "You can make of that whatever you like. I would have liked to have another old bloke around the group with me, yeah," Ponting said.<br /><br />Ponting and Mike Hussey, both 36, have been retained as CA contracted players and Ponting will play as a batsman only in the Test and one-day sides after giving up the captaincy to his deputy Michael Clarke.<br /><br />"It puts us 36-year-olds on notice now, Mike Hussey and myself. It's going to make us work that little bit harder," Ponting said.</p>