Ricky Ponting wants Glenn Maxwell to be a part of the Australian squad for the tour to India
After finishing their home summer next month, Australia arrive in India for a four-match Test series, looking to defend the Border-Gavaskar Trophy that they won at home in 2014-15. It promises to be an exciting few weeks and everyone in India are in anticipation over how Steve Smith and his men would counter the spin threat that looms large.
One of Australia’s major concerns revolves around finding quality spinners, who could trouble the Indian batsmen on pitches that are certainly going to assist spin and while Nathan Lyon is sure to feature and Adam Zampa is likely to be his spin partner on the tour, two slow bowlers will surely not be enough on a month-and-a-half-long tour.
If former skipper Ricky Ponting is to be believed, then the third spinner’s role could be performed by Glenn Maxwell and hence, the 41-year-old feels that he should be a part of the squad that travels to face India in February.
“You need a batting spin bowler. There'll be other names mentioned, too, like Ashton Agar, I think his name will certainly come up.
"I think (Maxwell's bowling) is quite good, it's quite consistent. He's not an out-and-out Test first-choice spin bowler, but he is useful. Moeen Ali has developed into quite a good spinner now having played a couple of years for England. I would take him in the squad, definitely,” Ponting said during a Big Bash League encounter.
Extra Cover: Glenn Maxwell eagerly looking forward to Kevin Pietersen's return to Melbourne Stars
Ponting admitted that the Victorian all-rounder had been in the news for all the wrong reasons, but was quick to add that Maxwell was a ‘class act’ and among the best T20 players in the world.
“He's been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
"It's been an indifferent couple of months for him. Hasn't played a lot of cricket either but what I know about this guy is he is one of the very, very best T20 players in the world, be that with the bat or his off-spin or out in the field. He is a class act,” the former right-hander said.
Maxwell made his Test debut for Australia in 2014 against Pakistan and in the three Tests that he has played so far, he has made 80 runs with a high score of 37.