Ponting 'worried' by Aussies as selectors face tough calls

Australia needs David Warner's intent and their best batters to stand up if they are to fight their way back into the Vodafone Test Series, says former captain Ricky Ponting.

And the Test legend expects there to be changes to the batting unit that has been unable to score big or freely against a potent India attack this summer.

Australia's batting failed to fire for the second time this series as the hosts suffered an eight-wicket loss to India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to leave the series tied 1-1 heading into the new year.

India's attack, led by gun fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah and spin wizard Ravichandran Ashwin, has prevented Australia from posting a total of more than 200 this series from three completed innings while scoring at just 2.53 runs per over.

They have also kept Australia's two top-ranked batters quiet, with Steve Smith averaging 3.33 and Marnus Labuschagne not capitalising on starts while having his fair slice of good fortune.

The batting output and scoring rate has Ponting 'worried', but that could change if Warner returns from injury for the third Test.

"They need Warner back, they need Smith to score runs, they need Labuschange to find the form of last summer as well," Ponting told cricket.com.au.

"(Labuschagne) has not looked to be in as good a touch as he was last summer and those three players are just so vitally important to this Australian line up, it's as simple as that.

"We saw the last tour out here (in 2018-19) with Smith and Warner not being there how frail Australia looked then.

"Right now, Smith basically hasn't been there, Warner hasn't been there and Marnus has made a couple of 40s but had all sorts of luck and not been able to capitalise.

"It just goes to show how important they are."

Warner appeared in good health batting and running in the MCG nets during the second Test, and given the next match is nine days away, the left-hander is on track for a return.

The fitness of Will Pucovski remains unclear after he was ruled out of the first two Test having sustained a concussion in the first tour match, however his Victoria coach Chris Rogers said the 22-year-old would be available for selection. 

If both players are available, Ponting says Joe Burns and Travis Head are the players who could make way.

Burns and Head are both averaging 21 and while Ponting expects the Queenslander to be dropped for Warner if fit, he hopes the selectors back Head to turn his form around.

"I think it's pretty obvious – if Warner's fit then Burns just goes out." Ponting said.

"I'm sure there'll be some talk about does (Matthew) Wade stay at the top or do we bring in another opener if it's Pucovski or (Marcus) Harris.

"Do you go with two settled openers and slot Wade back down in the middle and someone like Travis Head misses out?

"It's hard for me to say what's going to happen because I don't know what's available but I think the questions right now will be Burns, and I'm sure there will be a few (other) questions – I've been hearing them today – about Travis Head's spot in the team.

"I would hope they stick with Head. I don't think they'd be wanting to make too many changes in the middle of a series but the selectors … they've got more questions to answer now than they have had in a long, long time.

"They've got a lot of talking, a lot of thinking to do over the next few days."

Whoever is selected, Ponting wants the batters to take on the Indian bowlers and not be dictated by them on their home soil.

In two Tests Australia's highest individual score is Tim Paine's unbeaten 73 in Adelaide, while there have only been three partnerships worth more than 50.

Ponting says they key to rebounding is forming those big partnerships with the bat and taking on the bowling to put pressure back on the tourists and not get bogged down trying to survive.

"It's all about partnerships and they haven't had any partnerships through the first couple of games," Ponting said.

"The cracks are probably painted over from Adelaide.

"(Australia) made 191 there, 195 and 200 here. That's not batting in Test match cricket. And the worry I've got is how long it takes them to get those runs. That's my issue.

"They've scored at two-and-a-half runs an over in Adelaide and here (in Melbourne) and they did (that) against India in the last series out here (and) that was also another losing series.

"They've got to show some more intent. They can't be scared of getting out. They've got to go out there and bat and score runs and they've got to get them quicker than two-and-a-half runs an over because what we've seen from Adelaide to here, if they're trying to apply themselves and bat for long periods of time they haven't been good enough to do that.

"I think they need to have a good look at how they're playing, a look at their personnel.

"They've got a lot of work to do. Whoever they pick in the next XI it's going to be a great test of character for all of them."

Vodafone Test Series v India 2020-21

Australia Test squad: Tim Paine (c), Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner

India Test squad: Virat Kohli (c) (first Test only), Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Siraj

First Test: Australia won by eight wickets

Second Test: India won by eight wickets

Third Test: January 7-11, SCG, 10.30am AEDT

Fourth Test: January 15-19, Gabba, 11am AEDT