Ricky Ponting feels Australia’s loss to India is mainly due to their batting fragility, and the former captain believes the home team needs a lot of areas to score if they want a chance to win the Test series. So far Australia’s hitting hasn’t worked out, and the team was eliminated with scores of 191, 195 and 200 in three of four innings. Ponting expressed great concern about Australia’s lack of partnerships, but mostly about the pace at which they are scoring runs.
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“These are partnerships and they haven’t had any partnerships for the first two games. The cracks are probably Adelaide painted. (Australia) did 191 there, 195 and 200 here. That’s not hitting test cricket. And the concern I have is how long it takes them to do those races. That’s my problem, ”Ponting told cricket.com.au.
“They scored two and a half runs in Adelaide and here (in Melbourne) and they did (that) against India in the last series here (and) it was another losing series as well. They have to show a little more intention. They cannot be afraid to go out. They have to go out and hit and score runs and they have to do them faster than two and a half runs because what we’ve seen from Adelaide to here, if they’re trying. applied and hit for long periods of time, they haven’t been good enough to do that.
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“I think they need to see how they are playing, see their staff. They have a lot of work to do. Whoever they choose in the next XI, it will be a great test of character for everyone. “
What adds to Australia’s batting woes, Ponting acknowledges, is the absence of David Warner and the lack of runs from Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, three of their hitting pillars. Warner has missed the first two rounds of the series due to a hamstring injury and remains a dubious starter even in the third, while Smith, in four innings, has yet to enter double digits (1, 1 *, 0 and 8). Labuschagne has started, 47, 28 and 48, but has not been able to get it through.
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“They need Warner back, they need Smith to score runs, they need Labuschagne to find form last summer as well. (Labuschagne) hasn’t seemed to have as good a touch as last summer and those three players are vitally important to this Australian lineup, it’s as simple as that, ”said Ponting.
“We saw the last tour here (in 2018-19) with Smith and Warner without being there, how fragile Australia looked then. Right now, Smith basically hasn’t been there, Warner hasn’t been there, and Marnus has made a pair of 40s, but he got all sorts of luck and couldn’t capitalize. It just shows how important they are. “
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