Ricky Ponting questions move for WTC final as Sam Konstas and Scott Boland cop blow

Yahoo

5 days ago

Aussie cricket legend Ricky Ponting feels Sam Konstas and Scott Boland will miss out on selection for the World Test Championship final despite not necessarily agreeing with Marnus Labuschagne's potential promotion up the order. Cameron Green is set to make an immediate return to the Aussie X to take on South Africa at Lord's on 11 June after returning from a back injury.
Despite missing the test series against India over the summer, Green has returned in strong form during a second-division County cricket stint. The allrounder has blasted a number of centuries and is likely to slot back into the starting XI.
However, Green's return is going to force someone out. And despite plenty of calls for it to be Labuschagne, who is on an extended lean run of form, Ponting believes the unfortunate player could be Konstas.
Labushagne has struggled for runs across the last 18 months having failed with the bat against India and Sri Lanka last summer. The No.3 batter averaged just 25.36 across the two series and has so far failed in his County cricket move.
The former World No.1 Test batter is woefully out of form, but there are suggestions the selectors will keep him in the side and move him up to opener to accomodate the return of Green. And despite questioning the move, Ponting feels the Aussie team will do just that.
"I actually think that that will go with Labuschagne," Ponting said on the ICC Review podcast. "Looking back to the last World Test Championship Final there was some talk about David Warner and whether he should hold his spot going into that.
"And there was a bit of talk around the team about wanting to get through that period or that phase or if you like, with the same group of players and give them the chance to, to be able to play off in that one-off final. Labuschagne has been through this cycle with the team, albeit batting at No.3 and I think they will want to get through the cycle with the same players so I think Labuschagne will get the nod.
"Whether I agree with it or not, it's a different thing...all will be revealed in the next couple of weeks." Ponting believes Green will slot in at No.3, while Smith will remain at No.4. This will see Konstas miss out after making his exciting debut during the series against India. Ponting also weighed-in on the exclusion of Boland.
Boland took over Josh Hazlewood's position during the India series and starred at the MCG and SCG to help Australia surge to victory. Hazlewood failed to play the final two tests due to a back injury, but has returned to the IPL in sensational form.
The Aussie quick has been the best bowler of the T20 tournament and he was also arguably the best of the Australian quartet across the last 18 months, before his injury. Hazlewood missed his side's last three games due to a shoulder issue, but the quick stamped his Test claims with a superb spell of bowling against Ponting's Punjab Kings to brush off any injury concerns.
And while it will be hard on Boland, Ponting feels the selectors will remain faithful to Hazlewood for the one-off test with South Africa. "And the one that everyone talks about the last couple of years is the whole Hazlewood (versus) Boland one," Ponting added.
"It's a really tough selection every time because every time Boland plays, he just does so well. But unfortunately, if Hazlewood is fit, I think Hazlewood comes straight back into the team."
Australia's Test No.3 has faced growing calls to be axed for next month's showpiece red-ball final against South Africa at Lord's with his form dropping off a cliff. Labuschagne only averaged 25.36 with the bat across the summer, after disappointing Test series against India and Sri Lanka.
That came after an equally underwhelming previous year for Labuschagne, where he averaged just 27.08 across the summer of 2023/24. And the 30-year-old only managed scores of 23, 0 and 61 in his three Sheffield Shield innings for Queensland after those Test series.