Ricky Ponting Feels Australia Will Be "Losing Most Sleep Over" This Position Ahead Of T20 World Cup
Ricky Ponting says that Australia have always been worried about that finishing role but he pointed out one slot Australia "would be losing the most sleep over" right now ahead of the T20 World Cup.
Highlights
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Ricky Ponting feels Australia desperately needs to find a finisher
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Ponting said Australia need to finalise their wicketkeeper-batsman
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Australia will face the West Indies in five T20Is and three ODIs in July
Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting has said the team from Down Under desperately needs to find a player who can be the finisher in this year's T20 World Cup. He also highlighted how Aaron Finch's side has still not been able to find a finisher and Ponting spoke how guys like MS Dhoni, Kieron Pollard, or Hardik Pandya are the need of the hour in the shortest format. He also said that the side would be "losing the most sleep over" right now for wicketkeeper-batsman.
"The spot I think they've always been worried about is that finishing role, and one of the reasons for that is that all of our best batsmen bat in the top four in the Big Bash, so you've actually got no one that's consistently batting in that area. It's a very specialist position to be able to go in with three or four overs to go, with 50 runs needed and be able to do it," cricket.com.au quoted Ponting as saying.
"Dhoni has been in that one spot his whole career and no wonder he's so good at it. Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard are similar -- these guys continually win games of cricket for their country and in the IPL, they're used to going in batting at .spots. That's what we've got to find. Is it going to be (Glenn) Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh that are going to finish the games, is it going to be Marcus Stoinis? I think that's the area that they're more worried about. The top order will look after itself because everyone is batting in the top order in Big Bash," he added.
Ponting also said how Australia needs to narrow down its choice in the wicketkeeper-batsman department. The former Australia skipper rallied behind rookie Josh Inglis.
"The keeper-batsman is probably the slot they'd be losing the most sleep over right now. They've still got some questions to answer as far as what their overall squad looks like and I think the biggest one is -- Who is going to be standing behind the stumps with the gloves on," said Ponting.
"They have tried a few blokes -- Wade has been there, Phillipe has just played as a batter, Alex Carey has been in and out and tried in a few different batting spots. Josh Inglis' name could be thrown into the ring as well -- I really liked what I saw from him batting in the middle order in last summer's BBL. He plays spin really well and you think about where the World Cup is going to be (in India or the UAE), he could be a name that could come up (for selection)," he added.
Australia will next face the West Indies in five T20Is and three ODIs in July this year. After that, Finch's side is also expected to tour Bangladesh for five T20Is in August.
Australia Cricket Team