Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting talked about players who could feature in Australia’s Ashes squad.
Ashes 2021-22 are set to kick start from 8th December. However, before that Tim Paine-led side will play only one Test match against Afghanistan in November.
In an interview with cricket.com.au, former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting said that Tim Paine-led side should be going into the Ashes with only one Test match because the series is physically and mentally draining.
"I honestly don't think it matters that much. If they get a bit of first-class cricket in and they get that one Test match in against Afghanistan, are you better off going into the Ashes series with not a lot or going in with a lot of Tests.
"Ashes series are so physically and mentally draining; you might be better off going in with less. But it doesn't matter what you're going in with, it's about what you do in those big moments, as we saw with the India series," Ricky Ponting told cricket.com.au.
Ponting feels that Travis Head will play more Test matches for Australia because after being dropped from the side, as he went back to play Shield cricket and made big scores there.
"He went back to Shield cricket and started filling his boots and making big scores - that's what you want to see from those guys, the hunger to get themselves back in the Australian team. I think Travis will play some more Test cricket. I think that's probably his slot in the middle order now, so let's hope he can make the most of it," he said.
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Ponting remarked that If Marcus Harris can score runs in domestic cricketer as an opener, he can be drafted into the Australian side as a middle-order batsman. He added that team management needs to work out who is the best player to bat in the middle order.
“But Marcus Harris is someone who can bat there as well, I don't think he needs to open. If he shows that he's good enough and scores enough runs in domestic cricket as an opener, I think he can easily bat in the middle order.
“I think they've just got to work on who their best player is and if it's Harris if it's Head if it's Henriques - work out who it is and give them a chance there," he said.
While talking about will Pucovski and Cameron Green, Ponting said they are heating the competition on the side, which is great for the team. He also spoke highly about Riley Meredith and Jhye Richardson, saying they can have a similar 'sparking' effect on the bowling group.
"To have Pucovski and Green come in and start challenging what some of the more experienced guys are doing is great for the team. You can have the same sort of conversation with a Riley Meredith and a Jhye Richardson, they are both a chance of playing some Test cricket in that Ashes series and that might just spark the bowling group on a little bit as well,” he said.
Ricky Ponting further said that he likes watching Will Pucovski and Cameron Green because they are hungry to score runs.
"I like the fact that those younger blokes are there. I liked seeing Pucovski just for that one Test match and I love what Green's done when he's gone back to state cricket. He just seems really hungry to score lots of runs there - they are the things that you love seeing," he concluded.
(Cricket.com.au inputs)
