New Delhi: Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has backed teen opener Sam Konstas to retain his place at the top of the order alongside Usman Khawaja for the all-important Ashes series, starting on November 21 in Perth. Konstas struck a composed 109 and an unbeaten 27 in the first multi-day game against India A in Lucknow.
The main point of contention for Australia has been whether the selectors would persist with Konstas or recall Marnus Labuschagne to the top six. Ponting, however, made his preference clear, without making any mention of Labuschagne.
“Everyone’s been talking about how crucial these first four Sheffield Shield games are, particularly for some of our top order batters, and I agree with that. But I also feel that it’s probably got almost to the point where it’s too late to be making too many big wholesale changes to the current team going into an Ashes series. Konstas has obviously just done well. He made a hundred for Australia A over in India, which is exactly what he needed.
“So, I can see our top order being Konstas and Khawaja. I think the fact that they’ve moved Green up to number three in the Caribbean probably suggests to me that they see him as that long-term number three. Smith will stay at four, Head at five, and then I would keep Beau at number six. I can’t see how they could leave Beau out of the side and keep some of the other guys in. That’s the way that I’m sort of looking at it,” said Ponting on SEN Radio.
He also urged Australia to consider moving vice-captain Travis Head to number three with an aim to put pressure on England in the Ashes, a move which will allow all-rounders Green and Webster to bat at five and six respectively.