The two-time World Cup-winning former Australian captain Ricky Ponting believes that the Australian frontline pacers should be ready to feature in every game in the upcoming World Cup and the subsequent Ashes series.
The upcoming cricket summer will be a busy summer for the Australian national cricket team. At first, they will participate in the forthcoming 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. After the completion of the World Cup, Australia will play the five-match away Test series in the Ashes 2019.
England and Wales will host the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup from 30th May to 14th July. In this 12th edition of the World Cup tournament, the top ten teams will participate, including Australia. The record five-time World Cup winners Australia will play the tournament as the defending champions. Australia will begin their upcoming World Cup journey on 1st June when they will face Afghanistan at Bristol.
Just after the completion of the World Cup, Australia will be busy in the Ashes 2019. Once again England will host this five-match Test series that will run from 1st August to 16th September. Though Australia will begin the Ashes 2019 as the defending holders, they haven’t won an Ashes series in England since 2001.
Ricky Ponting on the Australian frontline pacers
Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins are the crucial pace bowlers of the present Australian side. Ricky Ponting believes that the three pacers have got enough rest to make a fresh start in the upcoming World Cup. The former Australian captain thinks that the pace trio should be ready to play every match in the upcoming World Cup and the Ashes.
Ricky Ponting recently told cricket.com.au, “They (Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins) have all had reasonable layoffs now. I know some of them got through the summer and had injuries with Josh and ‘Starcy’ of late, but that should mean that they should go into a World Cup very fresh.
“None of those guys will be in the IPL either so they need to just manage (themselves) really well, with the thought of playing every game through the World Cup and the Ashes. I’m sure all those bowlers want to do that.
“It’s up to them to get themselves fit enough and strong enough to give themselves the best chance of being able to get through.”
While Pat Cummins is in fine form, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood haven’t played a limited-overs match in this calendar year yet. Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood have faced some fitness issues in recent times, and the selectors haven’t taken any risk on them. They are all likely to be fit and available for the upcoming World Cup squad selection.
Ricky Ponting also praised the depth of Australian fast bowling line-up
Ricky Ponting also believes that the present Australian team has good depth on the fast bowling side. In recent times, Jhye Richardson, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Jason Behrendorff have shined in the absence of senior Australian pacers.
Ricky Ponting added, “The thing about Australian cricket right now, we have got pretty good depth on the fast bowling side.
“The pressure on selections for those first few games in the World Cup will be interesting and that’s what you want around the group, you want that sort of depth.
“There’s great depth around this squad, there’ll be a lot of pressure on positions. The guys playing their best going into that first game will warrant their selection.”
Ricky Ponting hasn’t ruled out the two spinners idea in the playing XI during the upcoming World Cup
Ricky Ponting also believes that the Australian side can go with two spinners in the playing XI during the upcoming World Cup if the conditions suit.
He said, “Who knows, there might be a few games through the World Cup where it might not be the best to take those three fast bowlers into a game.
“There might be a wicket that might look like it will be slower and turn more, so you go in with another all-round option and or another spinner.
“But management is going to be key, because trying to prioritise a World Cup over an Ashes series … it’s impossible.
“You’ve just got to face what you’ve got in front of you.
“The whole goal for Australian cricket right now should be to win the World Cup and worry about whatever happens after that, after that.”
While Australia had a struggling period in the last calendar year, they haven’t lost in their last eight ODIs.