Ricky Ponting concerned over Australia's inability to find their answer to MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya or Kieron Pollard before T20 World Cup
Ricky Ponting has raised concerns over who will play the finisher's role for Australia at the upcoming T20 World Cup. The former skipper highlighted how the Australian team are yet to find anyone like MS Dhoni, Kieron Pollard or Hardik Pandya in their batting order, players who have ample experience in finishing games.
Australia lost their last T20I series against New Zealand 3-2. Ricky Ponting, the head coach of IPL franchise Delhi Capitals, picked out some holes in the Australian T20 team and said in an interview with cricket.com.au:
"The spot I think they've always been worried about is that finishing role, and one of the reasons for that is that all of our best batsmen bat in the top four in the Big Bash, so you've actually got no one that's consistently batting in that area. It's a very specialist position to be able to go in with three of four overs to go, with 50 runs needed and be able to do it."
Ponting highlighted how the likes of MS Dhoni, Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya have proven their mettle in the lower middle order by finishing numerous games for their country and franchise.
"Dhoni has been in that one spot his whole career and no wonder he's so good at it. Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard are similar – these guys continually win games of cricket for their country and in the IPL, they're used to going in batting at those spots," the 46-year-old added.
Ricky Ponting picks his 3 potential candidates who can finish games for Australia
Ricky Ponting hinted that the Australian team needs to zero down on one particular individual who will don the finishers role at the T20 World Cup. The former World Cup winner suggested three names who are likely to be frontrunners to play in that position.
"That's what we've got to find. Is it going to be (Glenn) Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh that are going to finish the games, is it going to be (Marcus) Stoinis? I think that's the area that they're more worried about."
Australia are one of the major sides who are still in search of their first T20 World Cup title. Their best performance came in the 2010 edition, where they finished as runners-up behind England.
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