Despite his poor form in Test matches, David Warner will continue to be part of the Aussie dressing room when they begin their home season with a Test series against Pakistan. Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting was also of the opinion that Australia should stick with David Warner for now.
Notably, the 32-year-old left-handed batsman, Warner has all single-digit scores apart from one half-century which he scored in the Leeds Test. He, in fact, got out to the same bowler Stuart Broad on six occasions. Three out of these six occasions, Warner did not manage to even open his account.
Australia have retained the Ashes Series 2-1 but in the ongoing Test match, they seemed to be staring at defeat after Day 3 of the fifth Test with England already 382 runs ahead of them.
Ponting confirmed that Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and David Warner are the only guaranteed spots for the first Test at Gabba against Pakistan.
“Warner’s going to be a lock,” Ponting was quoted as saying by the official website of Australian Cricket.
“I don’t care if he gets another duck in the second innings of this Test match, he’s going to be a lock for the Australian summer.
“Marnus is an absolute lock. Smith’s a lock,” he added.
“(There are) still question marks around the guys in the middle, (Matthew) Wade and (Travis) Head.
“(Opener Marcus) Harris has looked tested against good quality fast bowling in this series. (Tim) Paine will continue as the captain but there are a few spots in the batting order that they’ll be thinking about for the Pakistan series.”
Ricky Ponting also stated that the young batsman Will Pucovski will be handed an opportunity in home conditions.
“With so many gaps like that, I’d like to see somebody like a Pucovski get an opportunity.
“Everyone’s talked about him for a long time. He was in the Test squad back in Australia, he was in Australia A squad over here.
“He hasn’t got an opportunity yet but apparently he’s quite an impressive young man.
“A couple of years before the next Ashes series you want to try and blood someone in that No 6 role and he’d be the obvious candidate,” he concluded.