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Ponting hailed David Warner‘s remarkable debut knock of 89 from 43 balls in Sunday night’s Twenty20 win over South Africa at the MCG, as similar to the ones former opener Adam Gilchrist produced so many times.
Warner, 22, became the first man in 132 years to represent Australia having never played a first-class match, but made an instant name for himself by slugging the second-fastest half-century in Twenty20 internationals, 19 balls.
His score was the backbone of Australia’s 9-182 and the South Africans had no answers, all out for 130 in 18 overs.
Warner will play in Tuesday’s second Twenty20 in Brisbane, but was not included in Australia’s squad for the five one-dayers starting Friday in Melbourne.
But Ponting challenged the NSW batsman to back up his thrilling start, and said if he could do so, it could prompt the selectors to seriously consider including him in the one-day squad.
“He’ll play again on Tuesday for us up in Brisbane and hopefully do well again,” Ponting said.
“If he keeps putting the scores on the board then he’s going to be hard to resist, I guess.”
Ponting said Warner’s knock – which contained six sexes and seven fours – set the tone for Australia’s 52-run win, and was reminiscent of another left-handed opener.
“It was like you were out there with Gilly when he was in one of those moods,” he said.
Warner said hearing the roar of the 62,148-strong crowd was “unbelievable”.
“I had a bit of stage fright and then everything came off and I was stoked,” he said.
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