Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has updated his recommendation for Australia‘s batting lineup ahead of the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India. Initially, Ponting suggested teenager Sam Konstas as an opener but has now shifted his preference to Nathan McSweeney.
In a recent interview with Sanjana Ganesan on The ICC Review, Ponting detailed his change of heart. He first considered Konstas due to his recent performances, saying, “I was put on the spot about a week ago, and I sort of immediately went to the young guy, Sam Konstas. He had come off back-to-back hundreds against South Australia.”
However, Ponting later reconsidered, citing Konstas’s lack of experience on certain key grounds. “Then I thought a bit more about it and, he is so young and he has probably not even played on grounds like Optus (Perth) Stadium or at The Gabba. He wouldn’t have played a pink-ball (match) at Adelaide Oval either. So there’s a lot of things that stack up against the young guy, although there’s no doubt that he’s got talent,” Ponting explained.
Ponting’s preference shifted to McSweeney due to his performance in an unofficial Test against India A in Mackay, where he scored 39 runs on a tough pitch. Ponting also valued McSweeney’s experience and leadership qualities.
Ponting clarified why he did not choose other experienced players like Marcus Harris or Cameron Bancroft. “Another thing that I’d said then was that I don’t think they’d go back to a (Cameron) Bancroft or (Marcus) Harris because if they’re willing to do that they would’ve done it the last year,” Ponting stated.
The Border-Gavaskar series kicks off on November 22 in Perth and will include matches in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney. The series features a mix of day and night Tests and will conclude on January 7.
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