Ricky Ponting Tips Surprise Batter As David Warner's Successor, Calls For Australia Debut vs India

Former players Ricky Ponting and Ian Healy have backed Australia A captain Nathan McSweeney to take over the vacant opening slot in the national team for the marquee Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India, starting in Perth on November 22. With David Warner calling it quits earlier this year and Steve Smith set to return to the his preferred number 4 spot, Australia are in need for an opening partner for Usman Khawaja. The likes of McSweeney, Sam Konstas, Cameron Bancroft and Marcus Harris are vying for the vacant spot.

"I was put on the spot about a week ago, and I sort of immediately went to the young guy, Sam Konstas. He had come off back-to-back hundreds against South Australia," Ponting said on the 'ICC Review Show'.

"Then I thought a bit more about it and, he is so young and he has probably not even played on grounds like Optus (Perth) Stadium or at The Gabba.

"He wouldn't have played a pink-ball (match) at Adelaide Oval either. So there's a lot of things that stack up against the young guy, although there's no doubt that he's got talent." McSweeney has scored 291 runs in his previous four innings, which has included a century in the Sheffield Shield and the One-Day Cup.

"The only name left for me more or less is Nathan McSweeney, who is Queensland-born now playing for South Australia. He got the most out of any of those guys from the 'A' game in Australia at the moment." "And he's more experienced. He has captained Australia A in the past, and he's captaining them now. So, I'm leaning towards McSweeney now for that opening role at the start of the Australian summer." Currently leading Australia A, McSweeney has made a strong impression. Batting at No. 4, the 25-year-old played a steady knock in the first inning and