Ricky Ponting picks his all-time BBL XI
Former Australian captain and batting great Ricky Ponting has picked his all-time Big Bash League (BBL) XI. It includes 4 batsmen, 1 wicketkeeper, 2 all-rounders, and 4 bowlers. 9 of these players are Australians.
To start with, Ricky Ponting has picked Australia and Melbourne Renegades captain Aaron Finch as his opener. The 34-year-old Finch will also be the captain of Ponting's BBL XI. With 2299 runs, Finch is second in the all-time list of run-scorers in BBL history.
Finch is also the most experienced captain in the BBL. In 58 matches spread across 8 seasons, the stalwart has a win percentage of over 48.
Ricky Ponting has picked Perth Scorchers' veteran batsman Shaun Marsh as the 2nd opener. At 44.54, Marsh boasts of the highest average in BBL history.
Click here to see who's the leading run scorer in this season of BBL.
Ponting has gone with experience over flair at number 3. Brad Hodge takes this position. In a BBL career spanning 50 matches, the now-retired Hodge scored 1412 runs at an average of 42.78. He is still a venerable name in the Adelaide Strikers' camp.
Melbourne Stars' all-rounder pair of Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis find berths in Ricky Ponting's BBL XI at number 4 and 6 respectively. Maxwell has amassed 1911 runs in the tournament at a staggering strike rate of 150. Tailing him cheek-by-jowl is Stoinis with his 1806 runs in 64 games. Stoinis has 34 BBL wickets while Maxwell has 26.
Stoinis also holds the BBL's highest individual score record. He had amassed an unbeaten 147 from just 79 balls against the Sydney Sixers last season. The Sixers went on to win, but the scars of Stoinis' knock remained.
Seasoned batter George Bailey and wicketkeeper Matthew Wade of Hobart Hurricanes sit on number 5 and 7 respectively. Bailey has over 1600 runs to his name at a strike rate of over 135. On the other hand, Wade has prompted 38 dismissals, besides scoring 1726 runs in 65 games.
Ricky Ponting's bowling picks for his all-time BBL XI
Ricky Ponting has chosen 3 quicks and a spinner for his XI. BBL's top 2 wicket-takers, Ben Laughlin and Sean Abbott find a place in the team. While Laughlin has taken 110 wickets in 90 games, Abbott is tailing him with his 99 scalps in 76 matches. Both have economy rates under 9, despite being regulars at powerplay and death overs.
BBL's most thrifty bowler (ER: 5.4), Lasith Malinga is Ricky Ponting's number 11 in the side. He also has the best average (15.0).Â
And if there was any doubt, Rashid Khan is the pick of the spinners for Ricky Ponting. In a relatively short BBL career of 43 matches, Khan has picked up 59 wickets at an average of 18.44.