Ricky Ponting has thrown his weight behind Australia’s batting order, insisting there is no need to reshuffle the top six ahead of the 2025 Ashes. The former captain made it clear that despite all the noise around Marnus Labuschagne’s place, he can’t find a spot for the former world No.1 in the team for the opening Test in Perth.
Australian coach Andrew McDonald and national selection chief George Bailey have both declared that the opening rounds of the Sheffield Shield could determine Ashes picks. However, 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.”
Ponting argued that consistency matters more than tinkering with combinations. “You can’t just keep chopping and changing every time someone goes through a lean patch,” he said, pointing out that the Ashes demands mental toughness, not constant experimentation.
Labuschagne has endured a rough patch with the bat in recent months, struggling for runs across formats. However, Ponting stressed that his proven track record, particularly in Test cricket, should not be overlooked. He reminded that even great players experience dips but recover stronger when the team backs them.
At the same time, Ponting acknowledged that younger players are pushing hard for selection. “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 this structure, Ponting did float one potential tweak: shifting dynamic No.5 Travis Head further up the order. “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),” he 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 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).”
Despite these tactical considerations, Ponting’s broader message was about continuity. Disrupting this combination before the Ashes, he warned, would create more uncertainty than solutions.
“This group has shown resilience before. In the biggest series, you want players who know their roles and trust each other,” he said.
The Ashes, set to begin in under two months, will pit Australia’s traditional Test strategies against England’s fearless ‘Bazball’ approach. Ponting highlighted that Australia cannot afford to second-guess itself against such an opponent. “England will come hard, no doubt. If anything, Australia needs continuity and belief to counter that,” he added.
Ponting’s stance comes as selectors face pressure to make tough calls. While Labuschagne’s lean run has triggered speculation, Ponting’s view reinforces the value of experience, unity, and stability in a high-pressure contest. For him, the bigger picture is clear, that is, trust the same six, ride out the form slumps, and enter the Ashes with stability.
