The former skipper weighed in after the Aussies\u2019 3-0 sweep in the Caribbean, a series that raised fresh questions over the batting lineup ahead of the 2025\/26 showdown with England. While conditions in the West Indies were bowler-friendly, only two or three of Australia\u2019s top six look truly settled.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cEveryone\u2019s 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,\u201d Ponting told SEN Tassie. \u201cBut I also feel that it\u2019s probably got almost to the point where it\u2019s too late to be making too many big wholesale changes to the current team going into an Ashes series.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Ponting threw his support behind 19-year-old opener Sam Konstas, who struck 109 and 27 not out for Australia A against India A in Lucknow last week. \u201cKonstas 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.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He also backed Cameron Green\u2019s elevation to number three, with Steve Smith at four, Travis Head at five, and Beau Webster rounding out the top six. \u201cI think the fact that they\u2019ve moved Green up to number three in the Caribbean probably suggests to me that they see him as that long-term number three. Smith will stay at four, Head at five, and then I would keep Beau at number six. I can\u2019t see how they could leave Beau out of the side and keep some of the other guys in. That\u2019s the way that I\u2019m sort of looking at it.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Still, Ponting admitted there was room for flexibility, particularly if Australia wanted to unsettle an aggressive England side. \u201cThe other thing I thought they could do if they were worried about that (Green\u2019s role) at all \u2013 and with our current openers who are probably not the fastest scorers (is move Travis Head up). Head is the second most established player in that (batting) lineup, probably behind Steve Smith, and the natural progression for players of that sort of age \u2026 you usually come into the side as a number five or six player, and eventually you\u2019d work your way up and find yourself in a number three slot.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He also backed Cameron Green\u2019s elevation to number three, with Steve Smith at four, Travis Head at five, and Beau Webster rounding out the top six. \u201cI think the fact that they\u2019ve moved Green up to number three in the Caribbean probably suggests to me that they see him as that long-term number three. Smith will stay at four, Head at five, and then I would keep Beau at number six. I can\u2019t see how they could leave Beau out of the side and keep some of the other guys in. That\u2019s the way that I\u2019m sort of looking at it.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Australia host England in the first Test of the Ashes at Optus Stadium on November 21.<\/p>\r\n\r\n