Ricky Ponting Backs Joe Burns Over Will Pucovski As Opener For First Test | Cricket News

Former skipper Ricky Ponting reckons that Australia ought to follow Joe Burns over Will Pucovski for the first Test against India slated to start from December 17. Pucovski has been in tremendous type as he smashed two double centuries in Sheffield Shield this season and was named within the Test squad final week. Pucovski’s tremendous type with the bat and contrasting struggles of Burns had opened up the controversy for the opening slot with David Warner within the Australian aspect.

But Ponting has backed Burns over Pucovski for the primary Test as he believes it offers confidence to the participant to exit and play with none concern of dropping their place within the line-up.

“I know when I was captain, I had a pretty strong philosophy with the selectors that once you’re in my team, I wanted to do everything I could to make sure you stayed there. I didn’t want to be making changes and I always felt it was my responsibility as captain to get the absolute best out of the players I had in my team,” cricket.com.au quoted Ponting as saying.

“I think it gives individuals a bit more confidence to go out and play a certain way and not be scared about their position in the line-up. That adds a lot around the group,” the previous skipper additional stated.

“Burns hasn’t done much wrong. If you go back to last summer, he played really well in the first Test in Brisbane and I remember saying then to lock him in and give him a good go at it for a while,” Ponting added.

Last week, head coach Justin Langer had hinted that Burns will retain his place on the high of the batting order for the primary Test.

Langer had referred to the sturdy partnership that Burns has had with David Warner, which additionally performed an essential function in Australia’s ascent to the highest of the ICC Test rankings.

India and Australia will sq. off towards one another in three ODIs, three T20Is, and four Tests. The tour will begin with the three-match ODI collection, slated to start from November 27 in Sydney.

India skipper Virat Kohli can be enjoying only one Test towards Australia and can then head again residence after being granted paternity depart by the BCCI.

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BCCI had additionally confirmed that Rohit Sharma can be rested for the white-ball leg of the Australia tour and can be part of the Test squad. He hit the National Cricket Academy on Thursday to finish his rehabilitation after struggling a hamstring damage in the course of the IPL.

The first Test between India and Australia can be a day-night contest. The four-match collection can be part of the World Test Championship (WTC). India and Australia are on the high two spots within the WTC standings.