Ponting wants Finch to open in UAE

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes Aaron Finch should be given the chance to cement himself as an opener in the upcoming Test series against Pakistan.

Finch is yet to make his Test debut, but has performed well at the top of the order for his country in both 50-over cricket and in the Twenty20 arena.

And Ponting has given Finch a great endorsement by claiming the 31-year-old should partner Matthew Renshaw at the top of the Australia order when the first Test against Pakistan in the UAE commences on October 7.

"Although his (Finch’s) red-ball numbers aren’t outstanding, he has been in real good form in other formats of the game all around the world for the last few years," Ponting said today at the launch of a new partnership between Cricket Australia and BKT.

"The conditions in that part of the world in the UAE, I don't think the new ball should do too much.

"It will probably be more like starting an innings against the white ball, which Finchy is very very good at."

Ponting declared Usman Khawaja as Australia's ‘best batsman by a street’ earlier this month and expects the Queenslander to bat at number three in the UAE.

He thinks Shaun Marsh will bat at four, with Travis Head, Mitch Marsh and skipper Tim Paine to round out the front-line batting options.

Ponting expects Australia will play two specialist spinners - Nathan Lyon and Jon Holland - and has endorsed Peter Siddle as an option to partner Mitchell Starc with the new ball.

"One thing you know about Siddle is that he’s not going to give too many easy runs away,” Ponting noted.

“With guys like Mitch Starc and Mitchell Marsh, those guys are probably more likely to leak runs on a consistent basis as they are wicket taking bowlers.

"If you’ve got Siddle operating with Nathan Lyon you can guarantee that things will dry up pretty quickly."

Ponting has great faith in Paine in captaining the Australia side and expects Mitch Marsh to act as his deputy and fill the vacant vice-captain position.

"I think they (selectors) will go quite young and think Mitchell Marsh is the one they will lean towards," Ponting said.

"And I am thinking not only about Test cricket.

"I am thinking also towards the World Cup that's not far away and there's probably not a standout captain for our 50-over team right now.

"I think the way Mitchell has developed over the last couple of years, we all saw his Test summer in Australia last year was outstanding and he captained Western Australia last year and did a very good job."


Qantas Tour of the UAE

Australia Test squad: Tim Paine (c), Ashton Agar, Brendan Doggett, Aaron Finch, Travis Head, Jon Holland, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc

Sep 29 - Oct 2: Tour match v Pak A, Dubai

Oct 7-11: First Test, Dubai

Oct 16-20: Second Test, Abu Dhabi