Ponting suggests moving Travis Head to No.3 batting position in Ashes

New Delhi [India], September 22 (ANI): Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes vice-captain Travis Head’s aggressive approach could give Australia early momentum against England’s pace attack in the upcoming home Ashes series.

Looking to keep hold of the urn and carry on in their ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 campaign, Ponting also feels the move would create space for all-rounders Cameron Green and Beau Webster to bat together in the middle order, according to ICC website.

“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 and these guys, 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,” Ponting told radio station SEN on Monday, according to ICC website.

Head has established himself at No.5 in recent years, scoring 3963 runs at an average of 41.71 with nine centuries across 60 Tests. His strike rate of close to 70 has made him one of Australia’s most game-aware and attacking batters in the middle order.

The left-hand batter also boasts impressive numbers against England at home, with 357 runs coming across four Tests in the Ashes 2021-22 edition, and a total of 910 runs across 13 matches across all venues.

However, Ponting believes a promotion could unlock even greater impact, just as it did during his own career when he shifted from No.6 to No.3 during the 2001 Ashes, going on to score over 10,000 runs in that position.

Australia’s batting line-up remains unsettled just months out from the first Test, with selectors eager to observe performances in the domestic Sheffield Shield season before making final calls for the Ashes Down Under.

Ponting also threw his support behind Sam Konstas as David Warner’s long-term replacement, backing him to open alongside Usman Khawaja after a recent century for Australia A.

The 19-year-old, who made headlines following a scintillating debut against India in Melbourne last December, was in fine touch against India A, making 109 in high-scoring draw.

“(Sam) Konstas has just done well and made a hundred for Australia A over in India, which is exactly what he needed, so I can see our top order being Konstas and Khawaja,” he said.

“I think 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,” Ponting said.

“Smith will stay at four, Head at five and I would definitely keep Beau at No.6. I can’t see how they could leave Beau out of the side and keep some of the other guys in, that’s how I’m looking at it,” he noted.

While assessing Australia’s options, Ponting also cast an eye on England’s likely XI, pointing to their No.3 dilemma and highlighting Ben Stokes’ fitness as a decisive factor.

“The difference with the two teams is you can probably pick England’s team right now and you probably can’t pick ours,” Ponting said.

“There’s only one chink in their armour, and that’s Ollie Pope at No.3. They’ve got young Jacob Bethell who has batted at three for them in the past, that’s one change they could make,” he noted.

“Ben Stokes is the pivotal one for me, if he’s fit and bowling like I saw him bowling against India, then their whole side looks completely different. He’s probably their best bowler to be honest, he’s got his pace back, he’s fitter than he’s been,” he added.

“He’s given up the drink, and he’s really focused on being a long-term all-rounder for England, for as long as he can. If Stokes is fit, if Wood and Archer are, in fact, fit, they will have a really strong attack that will definitely be causing the Aussies a few nervous moments,” he said.

In England’s recently concluded Test series draw against India, skipper Stokes stood out with the ball, often bowling long spells to provide crucial breakthroughs. He finished the series with 17 wickets across four games and will once again look to bring his best foot forward come November.

The first Ashes Test is set to begin on November 21 in Perth. (ANI)

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