Australia were bowled out for a paltry 198 after opting to bat first, with Bangladesh pacer Hasan Mahmud tearing through the lineup with figures of 6-55. Now with Bangladesh\u2019s lead crossing 150, it meant the focus is back on Australia\u2019s shoddy batting performance, where barring Steve Smith (71), no one made a notable contribution.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"There was a lot of early-season rustiness, they haven\u2019t played for a long time, but you can\u2019t excuse some of the technical issues and flaws we saw from the top order in particular. I was surprised Australia actually chose to bat, especially with Bangladesh coming off just 54 in the warm-up game.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThe Australian seamers on that wicket yesterday morning would have been near-on unplayable. A few eyebrows raised when Australia did decide to bat. But when you win the toss and decide to bat everyone is expecting a few more than 190 against an attack like that,\" Ponting said on SEN\u2019s Fireball.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Calling out the national selectors for being hesitant to transition towards youngsters, Ponting pointed out that Australia have fielded their oldest Test side since 1928, with all-rounder Cameron Green (27) being the sole under-30 player.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"I still feel like they missed an opportunity in these couple of games to look at some younger talent that we\u2019ve got in Australia. I know the Sheffield Shield numbers aren\u2019t outstanding for our young batters, but I think we might have to look a bit deeper than just what the numbers suggest.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cGo with a bit of gut-feel and pick on talent because what we\u2019ve got in the current side now - and it has been for a couple of years - has not looked up to the mark of Test cricket level. It (change) is going to happen.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve got 21 Tests coming up until the end of the World Test Championship (WTC) - they\u2019re at home to New Zealand, they\u2019re away to South Africa, they\u2019re away to India. Inevitably they\u2019ll be going through 16-18 players in this next little run. So I think organically it will start to happen where guys will be coming in and out just to try and manage them through until the end of it,\" he noted.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Addressing whether a potential defeat to Bangladesh would force structural changes, Ponting stated, \"You would like to think so. This group has been so tight. I don\u2019t know if they\u2019re scared of making change, or deep down they know that there might not be anything better that\u2019s waiting underneath.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve got 21 Tests coming up until the end of the World Test Championship (WTC) - they\u2019re at home to New Zealand, they\u2019re away to South Africa, they\u2019re away to India. Inevitably they\u2019ll be going through 16-18 players in this next little run. So I think organically it will start to happen where guys will be coming in and out just to try and manage them through until the end of it,\" he noted.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThey\u2019ll get a chance to bat on the wicket when it\u2019s at it\u2019s absolute best. That\u2019s when we\u2019ll see if these guys are actually up to it, because if they\u2019re not up to it in the second innings then maybe it is time to have a look at someone else.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n