IND vs AUS: Ricky Ponting Picks His Australia’s Test XI Against India, Picks Under Fire Joe Burns
The former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has picked his Test XI that would face India in Adelaide.
The most-anticipated Border-Gavaskar trophy series is just a few days and many have already started speaking on their best players, team and playing XI. The former Australian captain Ricky Ponting is the new addition to the list. The great Australian has picked his Test XI that would face India in Adelaide.
Ponting admitted that his XI would ‘cause a stir’ as he chose to go with Joe Burns as his opener. The 31-year-old Burns has been going through a terrible phase, having scored just 62 runs at 6.89 with the highest score of 29 in his last nine first-class innings.
He scored 4, 0, 0, 1 in his last four innings during the two warm-up games ahead of the four-Test series against India.
Opener David Warner and Will Pucovski have already ruled out of the first Test of the 4-Match series due to their respective injuries.
“I’ll have a lot of messages and suggestions coming my way that he hasn’t scored enough runs to stay in the side, but I’m keeping him in there. 40 in his last Test innings, he’s made four-Test match hundreds, averages almost 40 – I’m sticking with him and showing some faith,” Ponting told 7Cricket.
Burns’ chances were dealt with a huge blow when Moises Henriques was picked for the Test squad on Monday. Meanwhile, Ponting has also decided to move Matthew Wade up the order so that left and right-hand combination can be settled.
“What I am doing is moving Matthew Wade up to the top of the order. It gives a left-hand, right-hand combination. We saw last time India were out here, when we had two left-handers in our top order, the Indian bowling attack absolutely dominated the two lefties. I know I’ll cause a bit of a stir here, but that’s the way I’d go.”
Australia coach Justin Langer also confirmed that Cameron Green might also make it to the squad if found fit enough.
Ricky Ponting Playing XI
Matthew Wade, Joe Burns, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green (if fit), Tim Paine, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon.
