New T20I assistant coach says Stars dynamo is best candidate to replace Chris Lynn for Aussies
Maxi the man to fill ODI gap: Ponting
Australia's newly-announced T20I assistant coach Ricky Ponting believes Glenn Maxwell is the best candidate to replace injured batsman Chris Lynn in the country's ODI squad for the upcoming five-match series against England.
Maxwell was a surprise omission from the original squad, announced last week, with national selection panel member Trevor Hohns pointing to his recent mediocre returns in ODI cricket as the factor that cost him a place.
Captain Steve Smith went a step further, suggesting Maxwell needed to "train a little bit smarter" while simultaneously backing the maverick Victorian's ability.
"Just looking at the way he trains, I think he could train a little bit smarter," Smith said. "We've all seen the way he can come out and play and do all his funky stuff and be pretty cool with that, but when he puts his head down he's actually a really good batsman, as we've seen in Shield cricket – he's got some big runs there."
But with the luckless Lynn again sidelined, this time with a calf strain, a spot has become available, and Ponting believes Maxwell – who knocked up a timely 60 from just 39 balls for Melbourne Stars in tonight's KFC Big Bash clash with Adelaide – is the man who should be filling the vacancy.
"I would put him back into the squad," Ponting said in Network Ten commentary. "There was a lot made when he was left out, the chairman of selectors and Steve Smith laid it on the line pretty clearly what they wanted to see from him.
"That was along the lines of 'train better and train smarter' and I think Trevor Hohns said something about playing a bit smarter as well.
"So you would like to think he has listened to all that – he knows what he has to do now when he goes back into that squad.
"An opportunity has presented itself earlier than what Maxwell might have thought, if they actually go ahead and pick him.
Not too many blokes in world cricket who can do this. #BBL07 pic.twitter.com/WeVTNCBjSU— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 9, 2018
"And as far as I'm concerned I don't think there's a better middle-order batsman than him to take that spot.
"If you think about the current team, Steve Smith will bat at three, Travis Head at four, Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh or (Marcus) Stoinis in that five-six sort of area.
"So as long as he's learnt his lesson and listened to what those people have had to say, absolutely I think he can go back to international cricket and dominate."
Maxwell has posted a pair of fifties in the Stars' season to date, and responded to Ponting's support when interviewed on the sideline following his entertaining knock.
"I certainly have hunger to get back in there, but my main job right now is to score runs for the Melbourne Stars and I'm trying to do that at the moment," the 29-year-old said.
"(Ponting is) an absolute legend, one of my childhood idols and someone I've always looked up to. So it's great to hear him supporting me."
2017-18 International Fixtures
Gillette ODI Series v England
Australia ODI squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa.
England ODI squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Dawid Malan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.
First ODI MCG, January 14. Tickets
Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Tickets
Third ODI SCG, January 21. Tickets
Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Tickets
Fifth ODI Perth Stadium, January 28. Tickets
Prime Minister's XI
PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Tickets
Gillette T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series
England T20 squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, David Willey, Mark Wood.
First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Tickets
Second T20I Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Tickets
Third T20I Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Tickets
Fourth T20I NZ v England, Wellington, February 14
Fifth T20I NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16
Sixth T20I NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18
Final TBC, Eden Park, February 21
2017-18 International Results
Magellan Ashes Series
First Test Australia won by 10 wickets. Scorecard
Second Test Australia won by 120 runs (Day-Night). Scorecard
Third Test Australia won by an innings and 41 runs. Scorecard
Fourth Test Match drawn. Scorecard
Fifth Test Australia win by an innings and 123 runs. Scorecard