Ricky Ponting Chooses New Faces In His Australia XI For First Ashes Test

Ricky Ponting named his preferred Australian team for the first Ashes Test, selecting Jake Weatherald to debut.

Ricky Ponting has named his preferred Australian team for the first Ashes Test against England. The ICC Hall of Famer selected Jake Weatherald for a Test debut and included Brendan Doggett in the pace attack.

The picks come as Australia manages significant injuries. Frontline pacers Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins are both out of the first Test. Backup bowler Sean Abbott is also unavailable.

“I feel that Australia’s best team has Jake Weatherald opening the batting along with (Usman) Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne at three. He’s (Labuschagne) done absolutely everything that’s been asked of him over the last month, scoring hundreds at will, coming back into the side at No.3. Steve Smith (at) four, Travis Head (at) five, Cameron Green (at) six, Carey (at) seven. With (Scott) Boland, (Mitchell) Starc, probably Doggett gets the nod ahead of Michael Neser and Nathan Lyon, who was always going to play anyway, I think that will be Australia’s team.” Ponting told host Sanjana Ganesan on The ICC Review.

Ponting on Australia’s Selection Dilemma

Ponting explained how injuries have complicated selection. Hazlewood’s hamstring strain and Cummins’ absence leave a void in the pace bowling department.

“If you had asked me this (to pick the XI) a week ago, my thoughts might have been slightly different. Obviously, we’ve had Josh Hazlewood go down with that hamstring strain, it seems like, in the last (Sheffield) Shield game that he played. Brendan Doggett is already in the squad, he’s been called in. Michael Neser has also been called into the squad now.” Ponting said.

He noted that all-rounder Beau Webster has entered the conversation after taking eight wickets in a recent Shield match.

“Beau Webster in this last Shield game as well, missed out with the bat in both innings but picked up eight wickets with the ball. So he’s also thrown a bit of a spanner into the works there as far as selection is concerned,” Ponting added. Nevertheless, the first Ashes Test begins on November 21 at the Perth Stadium.