Australian coach Mickey Arthur says selectors are unanimous in not wanting Ricky Ponting phased out before next year’s Ashes but warns there’s mounting pressure on him from beneath.
Arthur couldn’t deny that the third Test against South Africa in Perth could be pivotal in the future of Australia’s highest-ever run scorer, with Phil Hughes, Usman Khawaja and even Rob Quiney still in the picture.
Ponting has had three successive failures to start the series against South Africa, and in the second Test in Adelaide was bowled twice in a match for only the second time in his career.
The Tasmanian turns 38 next month, but unfortunately that same number is the former captain’s Test batting average for the past three years.
Arthur said Ponting’s position was dependent on runs but he made it clear the selectors were keen to avoid losing his experience and presence before Australia head to England.
“All I know is inside that dressing room and privately we’ve all backed Ricky Ponting. At the moment (he) has the unanimous backing of the selection panel,” said Arthur.
“If he’s scoring runs we certainly want Ricky Ponting around for the next six months.
“We want Ricky Ponting to go to the Ashes, there’s no doubt about that.
“Like any batsman though you’ve got to keep scoring runs … and Perth is a big Test for him, and that’s by Ricky’s own admission.
“I’m 100 per cent sure though and confident Ricky will come through in Perth.”
Ponting has already thrown himself at the mercy of selectors, conceding a frank chat with the panel probably isn’t far away.
But Arthur said there was yet to be any discussion about Ponting’s future.
“No, none whatsoever,” he said.
Clarke said Ponting’s strong Shield form prior to the Test series hadn’t been forgotten and his brilliant record for Australia meant he deserved to have faith shown in him.
“Once he gets in I have no doubt at all he’ll go on and make a big score,” said the skipper.
“He knows how to make big hundreds. He’s still as good a player under pressure as anyone in that changeroom.”
In the first Test against Sri Lanka next month in Hobart, Ponting would be in line to break Waugh’s all-time record and become the second most capped Test cricketer of all time behind Sachin Tendulkar, in front of his home-State fans.
It would be a massive call to drop him before then.
But further failures against South Africa’s highly-touted quicks in Perth would raise serious questions about whether he is too far in decline to see out the summer.
A young player like Hughes, Khawaja or Quiney looking for a second chance at Test level, could benefit from making their return against the weaker attack of Sri Lanka.
Hughes, who hasn’t played for Australia since being dropped after the New Zealand Test in Hobart last year, is the highest run-scorer in Shield cricket this season and averages 51.8.
“We’ve got some young players there that have a taste now of international cricket and when called up or when needed are ready to step into the breach,” said Arthur.
Disco
Roar Guru
Indeed.
Disco
Roar Guru
Shaun Marsh might even be close to a recall at this rate. Remember, Uncle Arthur said of him that "form is temporary, class is permanent".
Disco
Roar Guru
The ball will swing and Punter's immaculate net form won't save him from a litany of low scores. But, hey, his fan club would rather eyeball their hero than have Australia play its strongest possible side.
Disco
Roar Guru
Hear hear! As I've said since the last Ashes, they're all in awe of him.
Red Kev
Guest
There is a case to be made that the fact the selectors haven't discussed it constitutes incompetence on their part. It's a shame CA doesn't try to fire them on that basis, I'd love to see it play out.
Rhys
Guest
I can see the poms wheeling out the Dad's Army tag again. At least when it comes to Australia's middle order. Still, after 5 consecutive failures in last season's tri-series the selector's axe fell on Ponting;'s ODI career. A double failure in Perth may just see a similar reaction to end his Test career.
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
Australia want Ponting for the Ashes series eh? Probably not as much as the English do.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
That's my fear too. And the really frustrating thing is - if we can all see it, why can't the selectors?
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Rather than saying “we want Ricky Ponting to go to the Ashes, there’s no doubt about that", the selectors should be saying, "we want the best performing players in the country to go the Ashes - if one of them is Ricky Ponting that's great, if he isn't then he won't be selected".
Lukeling
Guest
"But Arthur said there was yet to be any discussion about Ponting’s future. “No, none whatsoever,” he said." This is the most disturbing thing, sounds like they have no plans or a clue. Bringinging back Johnson ahead of the top performing bowlers in the Shield goes to show where their heads are at. Hard to fathom.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Um, it's Starc, Clarke and Lehmann. Is it really that hard to spell people's names correctly?
Red Kev
Guest
I can see Ponting finding form against SL and India then just capitulating in England.
Matt F
Roar Guru
To be fair it's not as if they're going to come out and call him rubbish in a press conference. I did notice that, unlike last summer (and the SL/SA series beforehand), Arthur did include the "like any batsman you've got to be scoring runs" line which might be his way of giving the selectors an "out" if they do ahve to drop him. Then again I'm probably reading way too much into that line.....
Red Kev
Guest
This is just sad, talk about a cult of personality. Arthur lives shoulder deep inside Ponting's colon, right next to Inverarity. The selectors should want the best six batsmen in the country who will score the most runs and win the Ashes back. But instead they want Ricky Ponting. He got given 10 tests @ 22.6 before the India series, and since the India series has been given 5 tests @ 18.4 ... can we really afford to give him the next four tests to rediscover some form? And what if he finds form against India (the only team in the past 2 years he's played well against) - his record suggests he'll crash again right after the India series and we'll be carrying a lame duck in the Ashes.
Lroy
Guest
We used to laugh at Englands penchant for playing middle aged men, Gatting, Gooech etc.. now it seems they are laughing at us, Im sure Hughes would score more runs than Punter at the moment... And whats this nonsense about bringing Mitchel Johnson back?? Surely Stark is a better option (unless he is injured). But selectors smoke a special weed methinks, remember when Mark Waugh retired? They could have brought in a young gun called Michael Clark, but instead opted for the rotund Lehman... Clark lost 3 years of test cricket with that debacle.. great to see the selectors want to continue the trend of keeping the young guys on the outer, awesome.