Ricky Ponting has thrown his weight behind Australia’s batting order, insisting there is no need to reshuffle the top six ahead of the 2025 Ashes. The former captain made it clear that despite all the noise around Marnus Labuschagne’s place, he can’t find a spot for the former world No.1 in the team for the opening Test in Perth.
Australian coach Andrew McDonald and national selection chief George Bailey have both declared that the opening rounds of the Sheffield Shield could determine Ashes picks. However, Ponting said the decision could be made now.
“Everyone’s been talking about how crucial these first four Sheffield Shield games are, particularly for some of our top-order batters, and I agree with that,” Ponting said on Monday. “But I also feel that it’s probably got almost to the point where it’s too late to be making too many big wholesale changes to the current team going into an Ashes series.
Ricky Ponting backs current top six to perform in the 2025 Ashes series
Ponting argued that consistency matters more than tinkering with combinations. “You can’t just keep chopping and changing every time someone goes through a lean patch,” he said, pointing out that the Ashes demands mental toughness, not constant experimentation.
Labuschagne has endured a rough patch with the bat in recent months, struggling for runs across formats. However, Ponting stressed that his proven track record, particularly in Test cricket, should not be overlooked. He reminded that even great players experience dips but recover stronger when the team backs them.
At the same time, Ponting acknowledged that younger players are pushing hard for selection. “Konstas has obviously just done well. He made a hundred for Australia A over in India, which is exactly what he needed, so I can see our top order being Konstas and Khawaja.
“I think the fact that they’ve moved Green up to No.3 in the Caribbean probably suggests to me that they see him as that long-term No.3. Smith will stay at four, Head at five, and then I would keep Beau at No.6. I can’t see how they could leave Beau out of the side and keep some of the other guys in. That’s the way that I’m sort of looking at it.”