Australia need to address little holes in their ODI line-up, feels Ponting
Sep 10, 2020
Dubai [UAE], September 10 : Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting feels that the Aaron Finch-led ODI side needs to work on their game to be fully prepared for the 2023 World Cup.
Ponting's remark comes as Australia gets ready to lock horns with England in a three-match ODI series.
"We'll see how the Aussie boys go, but they've still got some work to do on their one-day cricket, I think. We know their T20 cricket of late has been good and we know their Test cricket has been outstanding, but there's still a few little holes in their one-day game and hopefully they can patch them up over the next week or so," cricket.com.au quoted Ponting as saying.
"There's not too many holes, but I think they just have to work out what their brand of one-day cricket is going to be and how they're going to go about it because there's no doubt the talent's all there. You look at that squad right now and that group of players you've got over there, it's a very good squad," he added.
Over the last 30 ODIs that Australia has played, the management has tried out six different players for the number three batting position.
Usman Khawaja (10 innings), Steve Smith (9), Shaun Marsh (6), Glenn Maxwell (2), Marcus Stoinis and Peter Handscomb (each 1) are the batsmen who have been tried out for the batting three slot in ODI cricket.
"They need to find someone that's going to bat at No.3 for them for a long time. It's such a pivotal role, they need to find someone who's going to be a long-term player there. Whether that's Marnus Labuschagne there and Smith at four, or whether it's the other way round, who knows what it's going to be," Ponting said.
Australia and England will lock horns in the three-match ODI series and all the matches will be played behind closed doors. The first ODI will be played on Friday at the Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester.
