Ricky Ponting can’t find a place for Marnus Labuschagne in Australia’s Ashes team

Despite Labuschagne, who was dumped for the most recent series in the Caribbean, blasting a one-day hundred for Queensland last week, Ponting tipped the same top six that played in the West Indies would face England in Perth.

That means teen tyro Sam Konstas, who pounded 109 for Australia A in a runfest against India A in Lucknow last week, would open with Usman Khawaja.

Amid some conjecture over whether Cameron Green’s return to bowling could negate the need for Beau Webster to keep his spot in the middle order, Ponting was clear that both should play.

Australian coach Andrew McDonald and national selection chief George Bailey have both declared the opening rounds of the Sheffield Shield could determine Ashes picks.

But Ponting said the decision could be made now.

“Everyone’s been talking about how crucial these first four Sheffield Shield games are, particularly for some of our top-order batters, and I agree with that,” Ponting said on Monday.

“But I also feel that it’s probably got almost to the point where it’s too late to be making too many big wholesale changes to the current team going into an Ashes series.

“Konstas has obviously just done well. He made a hundred for Australia A over in India, which is exactly what he needed, so I can see our top order being Konstas and Khawaja.

“I think the fact that they’ve moved Green up to No.3 in the Caribbean probably suggests to me that they see him as that long-term No.3.

“Smith will stay at four, Head at five, and then I would keep Beau at No.6.

“I can’t see how they could leave Beau out of the side and keep some of the other guys in. That’s the way that I’m sort of looking at it.”

While he’s confident in the batting order he’s picked, Ponting suggested one potential switch could be moving dynamic No.5 Travis Head further up the order to add some attacking spice against England.

“The other thing I thought they could do if they were worried about that (Green’s role) at all – and with our current openers who are probably not the fastest scorers – (is move Travis Head up),” Ponting told SEN.

“Head is the second most established player in that (batting) line-up, probably behind Steve Smith, and the natural progression for players of that sort of age … you usually come into the side as a No.5 five or six player, and eventually you’d work your way up and find yourself in a No.3 slot.

“So, they could think about doing that with Travis Head and with the way that England play their cricket, to have someone like Head coming in at No.3 and being able to put some pressure back on (could be ideal).”

The first Test between Australia and England begins on November 21 at Optus Stadium.

Originally published as Ricky Ponting can’t find a place for Marnus Labuschagne in Australia’s Ashes team