Adelaide, Nov 29 (UNI) ICC Hall of Famer Ricky Ponting has revealed the playing XI Australia he had select for the second Test against India and suggested the approach his former side should take in order to level the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
Australia were made to look second best during the opening Test against India in Perth, with Jasprit Bumrah and his teammates dining out on a struggling Aussie batting line-up en route to clinching a decisive 295-run victory.
While Ponting acknowledged Australia was well below their best in the first Test, the former skipper wants no team changes made for the pink-ball contest in Adelaide.
“I’d be sticking with the same side," Ponting declared, when speaking with host Sanjana Ganesan on the most recent episode of The ICC Review.
"I think you have to show faith in champion players and a lot of the guys that we’re talking about in this team have been champion players," Ponting said.
"Maybe not for a little while, but they have proven their ability on the big stage," he said.
Key top-order performer and former No.1 ranked Test batter Marnus Labuschagne, in particular, has faced scrutiny for his performance in the first Test. The right-hander's average in Test cricket has taken a significant drop since he managed a pair of half-centuries against Pakistan in January.
Labuschagne managed scores of just two and three across a pair of knocks in Perth.
“He's really got to find a way to turn it around," Ponting said of Labuschagne.
"Marnus looked the most tentative out of all the batters in Perth. Yes, it was high-quality bowling
on a difficult wicket, but he needs to find a way to turn it around," he said.
Labuschagne played an important role in helping Australia to their first World Test Championship title at The Oval last year and Ponting noted the mental challenge he and his fellow batters face when trying to regain their best form.
Ponting stressed the importance of adopting an aggressive mindset, particularly against world-class bowlers like Bumrah, who tore apart the Australian line-up with an important five-wicket haul in the first innings.
“You have to find a way to take risks and put it back on those guys because you know Bumrahs of the world they're not going to give you too many easy scoring opportunities and when they do you've got to be ready to pounce on it and put it away and try and put some pressure back on them,” Ponting explained.
Ponting cited Virat Kohli’s second-innings century in Perth as a prime example of this approach.
After being dismissed for just five in the first innings, Kohli came back to register his 30th Test century in the second dig to help India set a massive target of 534 for Australia.
“Virat went back to trusting his game and he looked like a different player in the second innings than he did in the first innings,” Ponting said.
“He got away from trying to combat the opposition and focused on his strengths. That’s what Marnus and (Steve) Smith need to do - find their own way and show great intent,” Ponting said.
The Adelaide Test offers a crucial opportunity for Australia to bounce back and Ponting believes that a shift in mindset could be the key to unlocking their potential.
“Think about scoring runs first and not think about getting out first. That's always a challenge for a batter, especially when you're not in great form. There's only one way to change it and that is to be positive and show great intent," Ponting suggested.
The ICC Hall of Famer also congratulated fellow Tasmanian and all-rounder Beau Webster for earning his maiden call-up to the Test side, but backed Mitch Marsh to retain his spot in the side
for the clash that commences on December 6 should he be declared fit.
“Congratulations to Beau. He's had three or four years of really good, high quality, consistent all-round cricket," Ponting said.
"Unless something's wrong with Mitchell Marsh on the back of that first Test match and I hope that there's not because you would think that the only spot that Webster could take in that side would be the all-rounder role,” he added.
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