IND vs AUS: Ricky Ponting suggests new Australian opening pair for Test series

India will take on Australia in the opening Test starting at Adelaide on December 6 and Ponting said on Monday that Usman Khawaja would do well at No.3

After drawing the 3-match T20I series 1-1, India will take on Australia in the upcoming four-Test series starting from December 6 at Adelaide. Virat Kohli and his men are being considered as the favourites for the series. On the other hand, the home side would be chalking out a plan to tackle India after experiencing a severe setback against Pakistan in the recently concluded Test series.

Meanwhile, former skipper Ricky Ponting has suggested that Aaron Finch should open the batting along with uncapped Marcus Harris in the Test series.

“He's (Finch) had a lot of success around the world opening the batting in T20s and one day internationals - if he can go in with a similar mindset and not worry too much about opening the batting in a Test match in Australia against the red ball, I'm sure he'll have some success,” said Ponting.

Finch is set to bat down the order for Victoria in a Shield match from Tuesday as both Victoria captain Handscomb and coach Andrew McDonald have hinted not to break their incumbent opening partnership of Harris and Travis Dean.

However, Ponting said Victoria should allow Finch to open the batting for the Shield match.

“Victoria don't want to break up their opening partnership - I think they should for Aaron Finch's benefit. I think they should let him open for one game and slide Travis Dean down. Just to give him the red ball (practice) opening the batting before he goes into the Test match,” Ponting said.         

“Finch is a bit of an anomaly really that the last few years he's done most of his batting for Victoria in the middle order. Then because they go to the UAE where conditions probably weren't going to be that new-ball friendly they gave him the chance to open. So he deserves to stay in the team and open,” he added.

Harris has amassed 437 runs at an average of 87 in four Shield games this summer and Ponting threw his weight behind him for the other opener's slot.

“No batsmen have really dominated domestic Sheffield Shield cricket over the last few years but if you look at the numbers and the way he's performed this year, he deserves his chance to be opening the batting,” suggested Ponting.