Former Australia captain and current assistant coach Ricky Ponting believes the Australian selectors will have a big call to make when Steve Smith is fit to return to the playing XI for the fourth Ashes Test against England in Manchester.
Ponting, however, backed Marcus Harris to partner David Warner in spite of his twin failures at Headingley in a one-wicket defeat to England on Sunday (August 25). He also expects England to field the same top order despite the lean returns of struggling opener Jason Roy.
Smith did not play in Leeds as he carefully recovers from delayed concussion but his replacement Marnus Labuschagne made the most of his chance by scoring twin half-centuries as the visitors’ best with the bat.
Ponting says Labuschagne is ‘100 per cent in’ and tossed around the idea of moving him to three, dropping Harris – who scored 8 and 19 in Leeds replacing Cameron Bancroft – and promoting Usman Khawaja up the order to opener.
“It’s a big call,” Ponting was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au. “The top order hasn’t fired yet, but do you want to be making another couple of changes in your top three?
“When you talk about batting orders you talk about the engine room being your top three, you keep mucking around with that it’s not going to get easier. There’s the most pressure on those guys in Test match cricket.
“I know it would be harsh on Harris having come in and played that one game but maybe they could think about opening with Khawaja and then maybe Labuschagne bats three, Smith four. Labuschagne looks well equipped against the new ball. I think it’s one of those two (Khawaja or Harris) who might have to move or do they look further down the order to Wadey (No.6 Matt Wade)?
“Wade made a very good hundred in the second innings at Edgbaston, do they maybe look at making a change down there? I honestly don’t know what the right thing is,” Ponting added.
