Former Test captain and batting legend Ricky Ponting on Sunday named three batsmen he felt were certainties for the Australian’s next Test series against Pakistan in November.
Ponting named Steve Smith, who scored over 700 runs this Ashes after returning to the game from a 12-month ban for ball-tampering, Marnus Labuschagne, who has the highest batting average this series after Smith, and—surprisingly—David Warner (who was suspended along with Smith for the ball-tampering scandal, dubbed ‘SandpaperGate’).
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Warner set the dubious record this tournament of having the most number of single-digit scores in an Ashes with eight. His only shining moment came in the third Test at Leeds where he scored 61.
Speaking to cricket.australia.au, Ponting said, “Warner's going to be a lock… I don't care if he gets another duck in the second innings of this Test match, he's going to be a lock for the Australian summer.”
David Warner, who has scored fewer runs this Ashes (with 95) than Smith has hit boundaries (96) and whose batting average was lower than that of British bowler Jack Leach, was part of a disappointing Australian opener order, with most of Australia’s runs coming from Smith and Labuschagne.
Warner suffered against the new ball in England, with all his wickets going to either Jofra Archer or Stuart Broad (who equalled the record for the most dismissals of a single batsmen this Ashes, taking Warner out seven times). His playing style was more defensive in this series, proving unsuccessful against English bowlers.