Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes Tim David is the kind of participant that could win Australia the T20 World Cup, evaluating his match-successful potential to that of 2003 50-over World Cup star Andrew Symonds.
Ponting, who has lately taken a function as Hobart Hurricanes head of technique the place David performs within the BBL, urged that if he was an Australia selector he would discover a place for the highly effective proper-hander in Australia’s facet regardless of the actual fact the 2022 T20 World Cup hosts are defending a title they received with out David within the squad final 12 months.
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He in contrast David’s energy-hitting to that of his late buddy Symonds, who was a final-minute inclusion in Australia’s 2003 World Cup squad and dominated scoring a sensible 143 not out within the opening sport towards Pakistan and one other match-successful 91 not out within the semi-closing towards Sri Lanka.
“If I was a selector, I would love to have someone like that in my team,” Ponting mentioned. “If he’s playing or not, just to have that sort of striking power ability around, he’s an out and out match-winner.
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“He’s the type of participant that could actually win you a World Cup. He’s not simply the typical run-of-the-mill man that may simply sneak into a squad. I imply, he actually jogs my memory a bit of somebody like an Andrew Symonds again within the 2003 World Cup. You know if you get them in and you give him a chance they’re a likelihood of successful a match for you. That’s how I’d be taking a look at him proper now. I do know there are another nice world-high quality gamers within the center order for Australia. But most likely none of them boasts the resume nearly as good as Tim’s during the last two years.”
Australia’s selection panel, which features George Bailey (chairman), Andrew McDonald (coach) and Tony Dodemaide, have a challenge on their hands trying to fit David into the 15-man squad. They did not pick him for the T20I tour of Sri Lanka as the squad was selected just prior to his outstanding run of form in the IPL. Marcus Stoinis and Matthew Wade have established themselves as Australia’s finishers at No.6 and No.7 following their World Cup heroics last year. The top four is also settled. The only vulnerable player in that line-up appears to be Steven Smith who has been backed in at No.5 in Australia’s T20I team with the selectors holding faith that the veteran will stand up when required in the T20 World Cup.
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Skipper Aaron Finch suggested recently that David’s opportunity with Australia will come. Australia’s next T20I assignment is a three-game series against India in India in September. It is possible David could be part of that squad if a couple of Australia’s multi-format batters are rested given the matches will be in vastly different conditions to those that will be seen in the World Cup. But those games are likely to be played after the 15-man World Cup squad has already been named.
Ponting saw David in the IPL at close quarters when he smacked 34 off 11 balls for Mumbai Indians against the Ponting-coached Delhi Capitals to knock Delhi out of the playoffs.
Ponting felt David was underutilised by Mumbai and is already planning to use him more prominently for Hobart Hurricanes following discussions with new coach Jeff Vaughan.
“He’s been unbelievable in virtually each match that he is performed world wide, the final 12 or 18 months,” Ponting said. “He was most likely a little bit unfortunate to not play extra within the IPL this 12 months to be sincere, with the way in which that he began with Mumbai after which did not come again till proper close to the top and performed some match-successful knocks then.
“He’s obviously one player that we’re extremely excited about. I think there’s a chance for him to probably take on a bit more responsibility in the batting line-up with the Hurricanes this season as well because of his consistency and his match-winning ability. We don’t want to waste that and we don’t have him sitting on the sidelines too long. So I know that’s one of the strategic things that we’ve already spoken about with him, is how we actually get the most out of him and how we maximize his ability.
“He’s a very, excellent, very harmful T20 participant that I’m certain the Australian selectors are pondering lengthy and laborious about for the World Cup in a couple of months time.”
