"Watch some video of when he's actually played his best" - Ricky Ponting advises Marnus Labuschagne ahead of the second Ashes Test
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has offered sound advice to star batter Marnus Labuschagne to rediscover his best form ahead of the second Test of the Ashes series at Lord's, starting Wednesday, June 28.
The 29-year-old struggled mightily, scoring a golden duck and 14 in the two innings despite Australia's incredible two-wicket victory. The poor outing resulted in Labuschagne dropping from the top of the batters' Test rankings to No. 3.
In the latest episode of the ICC review, the former World-cup winning skipper spoke about being ready to assist should the batter approach him.
"I would like to catch up with him and have a chat about his batting, because I think what I've seen over the last couple of weeks, as far as I'm concerned, I think he's over complicating things a little bit. I think he has to trust and believe in what's made him the No.2-ranked Test batsman in the world for the last couple of years and go back to trusting that," said Ponting.
"That's all I'd say to him really. I would actually tell him to go and watch some footage and watch some video of when he's actually played his best, and remember those things and go and do that all over again," he added.
Despite boasting sensational Test numbers with an overall average of 55.14 in 39 games, Labuschagne has struggled with consistency of late. He has averaged just 36.63 with no centuries and just two half-centuries in seven Tests in 2023.
The right-hander has also struggled away from home, averaging less than 40 in 17 Tests outside Australia with a lone century.
"He's now going to be aware that it's going to happen" - Ricky Ponting on Travis Head's short ball struggles
Ricky Ponting also had choice words of advice for middle-order batter Travis Head and his struggles with short-pitched bowling.
Although the 29-year-old Head is coming off an outstanding 163 in the WTC final against India and a solid half-century in the first innings of the first Ashes Test, he was uncomfortable when peppered with a bouncer barrage.
"Firstly, he's now going to be aware that it's going to happen," Ponting said. "He's going to expect that. So therefore I think he has to work at it in his own mind. What's the best way for him to combat that type of bowling? Is it going to be to take it on? Is he going to have success if he tries to hook and pull balls that are into his body? Does he find a way to be able to duck and weave and get out of the way a bit better and try and wear the bowlers down?"
The second-leading scorer in Test history also believes that only Mark Wood can consistently threaten Head with that tactic, thanks to his extreme pace.
"I mean, the thing with these sort of plans generally in Test cricket is there's only normally one bowler in a team that can do it," Ponting continued. "And we saw that even the other day with (Ollie) Robinson, he's not really going to worry you doing it. Stuart Broad was probably their quickest bowler last week. Ben Stokes has been the enforcer for England in the past doing that, but his body's not going to allow him to do that role for England either."
"Coming into Lord’s, it could be Mark Wood. They might bring Wood into the team, which offers something a bit different. He’s obviously a lot quicker and bowls a really good short ball. If they're running in and trying to bowl really fast, they can only do it for three or four overs. If you can get through that, then you're going to be fine," Ponting concluded.
Despite his short-ball issues, Head has been in red-hot form in Test cricket over the last couple of years.
Ranked fourth in the ICC Test batting rankings, the 29-year-old has averaged 54 since 2021 with four centuries and seven half-centuries.