Ricky Ponting felt that if all-rounder Mitchell Marsh returns to full health, he might get the nod forward of Hardie. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Legendary cricketer Ricky Ponting has predicted some surprise inclusions within the Australian squad for the World Test Championship (WTC) remaining and the Ashes in England from the one that’s at present touring India.
Australia secured a spot within the WTC remaining at The Oval in June after gathering the required proportion factors following their nine-wicket win towards India within the third Border-Gavaskar Test at Indore not too long ago.
The spin-friendly tracks in India had prompted Australia to choose a squad suited to the sub-continent’s circumstances. They included Matt Renshaw and Peter Handscomb — two supposedly good gamers of spin — in addition to a clutch of spinners, together with Nathan Lyon, Matthew Kuhnemann and Todd Murphy, for the sequence.
Ponting feels that with the English circumstances not anticipated to be conducive to spinners, the selectors might choose for rookie pacers Lance Morris and Aaron Hardie for the two-month tour of England.
“Lance Morris is part of that [India] squad and maybe someone like Aaron Hardie [could be a surprise inclusion]. I actually threw his [Hardie] name up when Cameron Green was going to miss that last Test [against South Africa due to finger injury] in Sydney,” Ponting instructed ICC Review on Wednesday.
“I threw Aaron Hardie’s name up as an all-rounder, a similar type of player to Green, not as quick with the ball, but a very good batsman who made a brilliant a hundred in the [domestic] Sheffield Shield final last year.”
The legend felt that if all-rounder Mitchell Marsh returns to full health, he might get the nod forward of Hardie.
“But his [Hardie] selection might depend on someone like Mitchell Marsh, if he’s back to full fitness, then he’s probably going to find his way on the plane to England as a back-up all-rounder for Cameron Green as well.”
On whether or not Renshaw and Handscomb, two probably good gamers of spin bowling, will be within the England-bound squad, Ponting stated, “Matt Renshaw was picked on this [India] tour because everyone felt he was a good player of spin. Peter Handscomb was picked on this tour to India because he’s a good player of spin bowling.
“I feel you’ve got seen that by this sequence at totally different instances. But when you concentrate on the totally different set of circumstances within the U.Okay., then I would not be stunned if perhaps neither of these guys are on that tour.
“I think there’s a good chance that Renshaw will be on that tour, but I’m not so sure about Handscomb and if he’ll make it to England or not.”
Ponting, who performed 168 Tests and 275 ODIs, additionally felt left-hand opening batter Marcus Harris might get a look-in for the English summer season task.
“Someone like Marcus Harris might even get another opportunity back into that Ashes squad. He was part of the squads through the Australian summer without actually playing.”
On the continued Test sequence towards India, Ponting stated his nation’s gamers will take house lots of positives. Australia at present path 1-2 within the sequence however the former skipper stated the staff confirmed loads of spirit in profitable the third Test in Indore.
“I think all the spinners [have performed well] … and I think at different times, most of the batters have actually shown that they can cope and survive in those conditions.
“The quicks have not had an opportunity to bowl and Australia have had the fellows coming out and in as effectively. But I feel, Usman [Khawaja], Travis [Head], [Marnus] Labuschagne, [Steve] Smith after which all the spinners that have performed, I feel there are some actual positives there.
“It’s just a bit of a shame that it’s taken Australia to the start of the third Test match to find the right style of play.”
Australia will play the fourth and remaining Test in Ahmedabad beginning Thursday.
