Ponting Questions Shaun Marsh's Spot in Test Team

Cricketnext Staff | Updated: January 5, 2019, 4:35 PM IST

Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has said that he is worried for Shaun Marsh’s form, the manner of his dismissal in Sydney on Saturday morning against India leaving him concerned.

Marsh has only averaged 18 runs across 19 tests since scoring a century against England about a year ago, and was dismissed for eight after he edged an unassuming delivery from Ravindra Jadeja to Ajinkya Rahane at first slip.

“He’s averaging 34 in Test cricket and at his best he's very good,” Ponting told cricket.com.au. “We saw again today he started nice and positively and hit two really good cover drives and then it's just the ball that doesn't do anything that gets him out.

“You'd even sit back and question why he thought he had to play at that delivery. It was a fair way outside off stump and wasn't like it was going to spin back square and challenge his off stump, so why (did he) need to play at it

“The fact that he played a straight one and nicked a straight one is a bit of a concern.”

Ponting mentioned that while there is a “question mark” over Marsh’s spot in the Test team, the likes of Marcus Harris, Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne were nailed on to be part of the team for the Ashes in August, in his opinion.

“Harris is (a lock), I've been really impressed with the way he's played. Khawaja is a lock to go even though he hasn't had a great series so far. On the back of what I saw today I really liked what I got to see from Marnus. His technique looked good,"

"He plays in Brisbane so he handles the swinging ball well which you sort of expect over in England so I'd pick him on the back of what I've seen today. Travis Head, our second leading run-scorer in this series but once again just lots of starts without going on. I think they'll probably stick with him."

"You've got to put some question marks over the others."