‘Break England early’: Why Ponting would love Head to keep opening

3 months ago 20

Ricky Ponting believes Australia will return Usman Khawaja to the top of the order for the Brisbane Ashes Test, but also thinks that the notion of “fighting fire with fire” by keeping Travis Head up the top will be seriously discussed by the selectors.

Speaking in the middle of a deserted Optus Stadium on what should have been the third morning of the opening Test, Ponting admitted he was taken by the idea of persisting with Head after his barnstorming 123 from 83 balls to win the game.

Ricky Ponting made 32 centuries at number three for Australia.

In particular, Ponting pointed to how Head’s natural aggression and ability to hit shots to all parts of the ground would tempt Australia’s planners against England’s trumpeted decision to bet big on pure speed.

“It was a scenario that suited, but when you saw it unfold it was like ‘why don’t we do that all the time’,” Seven commentator Ponting told this masthead.

“Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think they’ll do it, I think they’ll go back to Uzzy in Brisbane, but it was pretty irresistible watching it yesterday.

“If England want to come out here with all the huff and puff and Wood and Archer and these guys, why don’t we fight fire with fire and put it back on them. As soon as it happened they didn’t know what to do, they didn’t know where to turn, so I’m sure it will be spoken about, not just in the media, but they’d have to be chatting around it.

“The regeneration of the batting order is going to happen soon anyway, so is now the right time to bring in a young guy into the middle order and try to change things up? Probably not. But when you see what Travis did, it’s hard to argue against leaving him there.”

Khawaja was widely thought to be in a similar scenario to David Warner at the end of his career entering this summer, where his performance would dictate whether he made it to the final Test at the SCG.

Ponting defended Khawaja over the back spasms that derailed him in Perth, saying that all batsmen suffered them from time to time and that it was unrelated to playing golf in the lead-up to the Test.

“I know there was a lot made about golf and all that sort of stuff,” Ponting said. “He might’ve played golf before every Test match he’s ever played. It’s just bad timing to get a back spasm.

Travis Head salutes the Perth crowd after his remarkable knock in the first Ashes Test.

“Someone said the other day, what if he’d gone for a 6km run and then got a back spasm, are we talking about that, rather than a 6km walk around the golf course?

“I’ve had them on the day before a Test match, I’ve had them in the middle of a Test match, you can’t move and they’re horrible things. I think it was just bad timing and bad luck for him.

“I don’t think they [the selectors] will make any change and they probably shouldn’t. Being one nil up now, you wouldn’t think they’d make any change.

“Whether he (Khawaja) makes it to Sydney or not depends on how many runs he makes in Brisbane if he plays. The only currency you have is runs, and if you’re not getting runs, then you leave yourself open for scrutiny and for someone to take your spot.”

Speaking on Seven’s review show earlier on Sunday, Ponting added that Head would be able to make a similar impact at number three, a position with which the former captain is well familiar after making 32 of his 41 Test hundreds from there.

“He doesn’t have to open the play that way either, anywhere in the top three,” Ponting said.

“The number three batsman has always been seen as being a counter puncher; someone who can come out and be aggressive and change the momentum.

“He can do that regardless of what position he bats. Will it happen? I don’t think so. But, I would absolutely love to see it, as a fan. As a cricket fan, an Australian cricket fan, I would love to see them do it and see if we can actually break England early.”

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