Ricky Ponting explains why promoting Travis Head up in the batting order could help Australia during the upcoming edition of the Ashes. The southpaw has spent most of his red-ball career for Australia batting at No. 5. However, he opened the batting during Australia's tour of Sri Lanka earlier this year. Head, however, returned to No. 5 spot in the subsequent World Test Championship (WTC) final and the Test series against the West Indies.
Ponting feels that Head could be moved up to No.3 for the high-anticipated
Ashes series, which begins on November 21 in Perth. The former Australia captain believes that this move could help the Pat Cummins-led side put the pressure on England from the outset. According to Ponting, Head batting in the top-order could offset England's fiery pace duo of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, and also provide more balance in the middle-order.
“As a young bloke you used to come into the side as a No.5 or No.6 player and eventually you worked your way up and find yourself in a No.3 spot. So they could think about doing that with Travis Head, they could move him up to No.3,” Ponting explained on SEN Radio.
“The way England play their cricket, to have someone like Travis Head coming in at No.3 and be able to put some pressure back on the likes of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, that’s another way they could look at it if they really want to get on the front foot and try and dominate England through this Ashes summer," he added.
At the same time, Ponting acknowledged Australia’s immense depth, particularly with talented youngsters staying in contention. He mentioned the 19-year-old Sam Konstas, who recently struck a century for Australia A in India, and suggested he could play in the top-order alongside veteran opener Usman Khawaja.
“I can see our top order being Konstas and Khawaja. The fact they’ve moved Green up to No.3 when they did in the Caribbean to me suggested they see him as that long-term No.3. Smith will stay at four, Head at five, and I would definitely keep Beau Webster at No.6. I can’t see how they could leave Beau out of the side and keep some of the other guys in," Ponting stated.
Konstas has played five Tests, scoring 163 runs at an average of 16.30. While the start to his Test career hasn't been exemplary, the right-handed batter is touted to be a future star by Australian greats.
