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Dhoni has been in that one spot: Ponting reveals one area Australia have 'always been worried about' for T20 World Cup

May 29, 2021 05:37 PM IST

Despite an impressive team on paper, there is still one area of concern for the team before the T20 World Cup. And that has been highlighted by former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting.

Australian cricket team have a talented squad of players ready for the upcoming T20 World Cup in India. The likes of Aaron Finch, David Warner Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc would be raring to go as Australia eye their first-ever world title in the 20-over format.

DC coach Ricky Ponting(IPL)

Despite an impressive team on paper, there is still one area of concern for the team before the T20 World Cup. And that has been highlighted by former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting. He has said the team from Down Under desperately needs to find a player who can do the role of a finisher in this year's T20 World Cup.

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He also highlighted how Aaron Finch's side has still not been able to find a finisher and Ponting spoke how guys like MS Dhoni, Kieron Pollard, or Hardik Pandya are the need of the hour in the shortest format.

"The spot I think they've always been worried about is that finishing role, and one of the reasons for that is that all of our best batsmen bat in the top four in the Big Bash, so you've actually got no one that's consistently batting in that area. It's a very specialist position to be able to go in with three of four overs to go, with 50 runs needed and be able to do it," cricket.com.au quoted Ponting as saying.

"Dhoni has been in that one spot his whole career and no wonder he's so good at it. Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard are similar -- these guys continually win games of cricket for their country and in the IPL, they're used to going in batting at those spots. That's what we've got to find. Is it going to be (Glenn) Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh that are going to finish the games, is it going to be Marcus Stoinis? I think that's the area that they're more worried about. The top order will look after itself because everyone is batting in the top order in Big Bash," he added.

Ponting also said how Australia needs to narrow down its choice in the wicketkeeper-batsman department. The former Australia skipper rallied behind rookie Josh Inglis.

"The keeper-batsman is probably the slot they'd be losing the most sleep over right now. They've still got some questions to answer as far as what their overall squad looks like and I think the biggest one is -- Who is going to be standing behind the stumps with the gloves on," said Ponting.

"They have tried a few blokes -- Wade has been there, Phillipe has just played as a batter, Alex Carey has been in and out and tried in a few different batting spots. Josh Inglis' name could be thrown into the ring as well -- I really liked what I saw from him batting in the middle order in last summer's BBL. He plays spin really well and you think about where the World Cup is going to be (in India or the UAE), he could be a name that could come up (for selection)," he added.

Australia will next lock horns against West Indies in five T20Is and three ODIs in July this year. After that, Finch's side is also expected to tour Bangladesh for five T20Is in August.

(with ANI inputs)

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