Ricky Ponting's genius laid bare after call on Aussie bolter already proven right

Yahoo

4 days ago

Former Aussie cricket captain Ricky Ponting has once again shown why he is considered one of the great minds in the game having touted Jason Sangha as a potential bolter for the Aussie Test XI for the Ashes. The Aussie XI has undergone some changes across the last 12 months with Nathan McSweeney, Sam Konstas and Marnus Labuschagne all having a crack at opening alongside Usman Khawaja.
Cameron Green has also been promoted to No.3 with Steve Smith occupying his second drop position. However, the top order has struggled to find their groove with no-one consistently finding runs against South Africa or the West Indies. Konstas is under pressure to hold his place for the Ashes, while Green has endured a tough start to his career at first drop.
While Green managed some runs in the West Indies, the 26-year-old still hasn't convinced some he is the long-term replacement at No.3. Speaking after the West Indies series, Ponting said he believes the selectors will stick with the top four as they are heading into the Ashes.
But he also tipped Sangha to push for Ashes selection with his form. 'The start of the Sheffield Shield season will be an interesting one ... I'll throw another name in that I think is a highly talented Australian batsman, that's Jason Sangha,' Ponting told the ICC Review podcast this week.
'I think (Sangha is) someone whose name will probably come up at some stage as well, but there's just not many games now, not many opportunities to be able to get yourself and get your name up in front of the selectors.'
On Wednesday, Sangha vindicated Ponting's call almost immediately, knocking on the door of selection once again with a double-century against Sri Lanka A. Sangha scored 202 not out off 379 balls as Australia A reached 4-558 before the game was declared a draw at tea on day four.
He also scored two half-centuries against Sri Lanka A in Darwin across the opening two matches to continue his exhilarating form. Earlier this year, Sangha scored 126 not out to lead South Australia to a close four-wicket victory over Queensland in the Sheffield Shield final.
This contributed to an average of 78.2 across six Shield games last season. And with Ponting watching the 25-year-old closely, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Sangha propelled into the Aussie Text XI if an opportunity arises.
But Sangha's mid-career resurgence isn't the only talking point from the side. Teenager Oliver Peake scored 92 off 178 balls against Sri Lanka A, which will see the selectors keeping an eye on the 18-year-old talent. And opener Jake Weatherald blasted 183 to put more pressure on Konstas at the top of the order. Konstas,
200 up for Jason Sangha!And some real class shown by Sri Lanka A, congratulating him after he reached the double ton.Watch #AusAvSLA - https://t.co/B4bcd6zaNR pic.twitter.com/TeZShzDgs5
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) July 23, 2025
Jake Weatherald & Jason Sangha are both very likely to be in the Ashes squad, if not playing XI itself in top 4, although these A team runs seem to be on a flat wicket. Both had really good Shield seasons too. Good time to peak as a top-order batter in Aus domestic cricket.
— Rohit Sankar (@imRohit_SN) July 23, 2025
Jason Sangha's first class numbers since his Shield return last December: 906 runs @ 90.6, 4 centuries. Top scored in 8 of those 14 innings which is just nuts https://t.co/XrQmMkIQRc
— Ethan (@ethanmeldrum_) July 23, 2025
Ricky Ponting backs Sam Konstas for Ashes
The Aussie batters endured a brutal time in the West Indies with no player across either team scoring more than 75 runs in an innings in the three match series. Although Konstas particularly struggled. The 19-year-old only scored 50 runs across his six innings having averaged 8.33 in the series.
And now it appears there is more pressure on Konstas than ever heading into the Ashes with McSweeney and Weatherald back in the runs. Although Ponting feels the selectors will standby the current side.
'The (batters) that they're talking about the last couple of weeks in particular, have been (Sam) Konstas and (Usman) Khawaja, and then there was some talk about Cameron Green, if he was a long term No.3 three or not,' Ponting said about the make-up of the side.
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'(Green's) second innings in the West Indies (in the last Test) might have just put some of that to bed. As tough as those conditions were to bat for as long as he did in trying conditions he might have silenced a few of those critics.
'I think with where they're at, I think the Ashes line-up is going to be like it is right now. I think that's what they're going to be starting with, and you keep your fingers crossed and hope that those guys can get the job done at the start.'
Aussie coach Andrew McDonald suggested Konstas does need to score some runs in the Sheffield Shield to prove he is ready for the Ashes. 'I think it leaves him where everyone else is in terms of Shield cricket at the start of the season, we're not going to shy away from the fact that will be big for certain individuals to go about their work, put some scores on the board, and, and then for us to look at what we need against England," McDonald said.