Thursday, September 14 2006 12:52 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kuala Lumpur: Captain Ricky Ponting is surprised Andrew Flintoff gets the nod to lead England in the Ashes but sees nothing in their squad to force Australia to alter its preparations.

"It doesn't really matter whatever squad they have named. It won't change what we do at all," he says in the Malaysian capital, where Australia is playing a triangular one-day series with the West Indies and India.

"We've just got to get out there and, when it is Test time, try to play Test cricket again." "We're alright at the moment. We've got a fair bit of one-day cricket to focus on and look forward to, and when November comes around we will start thinking about the Ashes."

Flintoff was the hero of England's 2-1 home Ashes triumph with 402 runs and 24 wickets, and he beat off competition from Andrew Strauss to captain them in their defence of the famous urn in November.

Ponting says he is surprised to learn the 28-year-old Lancashire all-rounder gets the job. "I did think that Strauss would get the nod but obviously it hasn't gone that way, I don't know why. We will have to wait and see what sort of job Flintoff does," he says.

"I believe (Ashley) Giles has also been picked, subject to fitness, and (Monty) Panesar is in the squad as well, so we've got both those guys coming out." "(James) Anderson has been picked as well, I think, after not playing cricket for quite a while. So they've got a couple of guys they will be sweating on over the next couple of weeks."

Flintoff will lead an unprecedented large English party to Australia. As well as the 16-man squad, a further 14 players will be based in Perth on standby.

England's chairman of selectors David Graveney says one of the reasons Flintoff is picked as captain is because Australia feared him, a remark that leaves acting Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke laughing hard.

"Flintoff is a fantastic player, obviously a very good bowler and he's showed he's an awesome batsman as well," he says.

"Any team that has an Andrew Flintoff in it is a much stronger team. But I'm not sure he's feared. He is respected."

Flintoff has not played international cricket since the end of their home Sri Lanka Test series in June because of a left ankle injury.

England's other injury concerns include left-arm spinner Giles who has been ruled out for the whole English season with hip and hernia injuries, and pace bowler Anderson, out all season with a back injury.

Durham quick Liam Plunkett also makes it into the squad despite a side strain in the second half of the season, while strike fast bowler Stephen Harmison is included after missing the one-dayers against Pakistan with a side injury.

The first Ashes Test starts in Brisbane on November 23.