Ricky Ponting urges Aussie selectors to choose obvious David Warner replacement

Ricky Ponting has urged Australian selectors to choose the obvious David Warner replacement once the veteran opener retires from Test cricket in January. The former Australian cricket captain says WA's Cameron Bancroft cannot be overlooked and must be given first crack at the vacant opener spot.

Bancroft has been the best batsman in Sheffield Shield over the past two seasons, smashing almost 300 more runs than the next best last summer and has continued the run of form into the start of this season. The 31-year-old was overlooked for Australia's Ashes squad in June, with selectors taking Marcus Harris instead.

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Three names continue to be thrown around as Warner's potential replacement, Bancroft, Harris and Queensland's Matt Renshaw. However, Ponting doesn't see it as a difficult choice and says Bancroft must be recalled due to the sheer volume of runs he has scored.

"If you look at those three guys, I think it's quite clear that Bancroft is the one that's got the runs on the board and I wouldn't be surprised if they (selectors) go that way," Ponting told SEN on Thursday. If you wind the clock back about six months it might have been a slightly different order than what it is now.

"I think they probably had Harris as the one that would come back in a while ago. To me now it sort of feels (there's) a bit more of a groundswell behind Cameron Bancroft getting first crack."

Bancroft's 10-Test career has suffered two monumental setbacks. The first was a suspension on the back of being part of taking a piece of sandpaper to the ball in an infamous moment in South Africa in 2018. He then was recalled during the Ashes in 2019 but faltered scoring just 44 runs across four innings.

Australia coach Andrew McDonald, however, believes Cameron Green could ultimately come into the side instead, with Marnus Labuschagne moving up from No.3 to open, but Ponting says Green must earn his spot with success at Shield level. "I think Cameron Green might just have to sit back and bide his time and wait for the opportunity to come back," Ponting said.

"He can get a truckload of runs in Shield cricket and sort of force his way back into the side. Labuschagne has been outstanding at number three for Australia, it's very much a specialist position."

Ponting says Glenn Maxwell deserves another chance at Test level

The former Australian cricket captain says he would also love to see allrounder Glenn Maxwell considered for a Test recall on the back of a stellar World Cup campaign. The Victorian hasn't played a Test for Australia since 2017, but his three recent international centuries, two in the ODI World Cup and one in a T20, have led to calls for his reintroduction to the team.

"I could see him (Maxwell) getting back into a Test line-up because of the all-round game that he brings in those conditions," Ponting said. "The (201) not out in that game against Afghanistan, which is the most remarkable one-day innings I've ever seen. I've been around a lot of games, watched a lot of games, played a lot of games, I've never ever seen anything like that."

- with AAP

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