Is the Aussie Ashes line-up set to mirror its current form?

New Delhi, July 17 (NationPress) Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has identified the leading three batters he anticipates will feature in the inaugural Ashes Test and Australia’s opening home series of the new World Test Championship cycle. Additionally, he provided insights for the struggling opener Sam Konstas, whose performance has drawn considerable attention.

Despite clinching the Test series 3-0 in the Caribbean, Australia's batters did little to dispel previous criticisms regarding their vulnerabilities, as they surpassed the 300-run mark only once during the series, with the bulk of runs coming from the lower order.

Instead, they heavily depended on their formidable bowling lineup, as Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, and Josh Hazlewood excelled, dismissing the West Indies for a mere 27 runs in the final innings.

"The batters under discussion over the past few weeks, particularly, have been Sam Konstas and Usman Khawaja, along with some speculation about Cameron Green and his long-term position at No. 3," Ponting remarked in the latest edition of The ICC Review.

"Green's performance in the second innings during the West Indies series (in the last Test) may have alleviated some of those concerns. Given the challenging conditions, his ability to bat for an extended period could have quelled some of his critics.

"As far as their current status goes, I believe the Ashes line-up will remain consistent with what it is at present. I think that's how they'll initiate the series, and we can only hope that these players can deliver at the outset," he commented.

Much attention has been directed towards opener Konstas, who, aside from a commendable half-century on debut against Jasprit Bumrah and India's bowling attack during last year’s Boxing Day Test, has struggled to accumulate runs. His average stands at only 16.30 from his initial 10 Test innings. Nonetheless, Ponting contends that Konstas has faced a more challenging entry into Test cricket than many.

"I encountered some fascinating quotes or an article written by Australian journalist Robert Craddock regarding Sam Konstas, detailing how the Australians attempted to shield him from what was anticipated to be a particularly tough tour of Sri Lanka. They opted to exclude him, hoping to integrate him during the Caribbean series, where conditions might be more favorable. However, it turned out to be the opposite. The conditions in the Caribbean have been quite challenging for everyone involved.

"Ultimately, the attack and pitches in Sri Lanka were conducive for batting and the opposition's attack was weak. Conversely, the surfaces in the Caribbean have posed difficulties for all batsmen. The last result, where the West Indies were bowled out for 27, can be attributed not just to quality bowling, but also to the nature of the pitch and the conditions," said Ponting.