Legendary Australia National Cricket Team captain Ricky Ponting has shared his views on the recent form of the veteran opener David Warner ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, which will be held in the USA and the West Indies in June.
Warner failed to set the stage on fire in the Indian Premier League 2024 and his finger injury made things worse for him. He played just 8 matches in the Indian Premier League 2024 and scored 168 runs at a poor average of 21 and a strike rate of 134.40.
Warner never looked comfortable in the middle when he came out to bat for the Delhi Capitals and he wasn’t able to score his runs quickly. The poor form of David Warner heading into the World Cup might worry the Mitchell Marsh & Co. However, Ricky Ponting doesn’t feel the same way.
Speaking to ICC, Ricky Ponting asserted that David Warner was off to a good start in the tournament but things went downhill for him after suffering injury.
“He actually started the tournament really well. His scoring rate was really good. At the start of the tournament, he was opening the batting for us with Mitchell Marsh, and that combination was working really well. He (Warner) didn’t really hit scores, and then he got a nasty hit on his hand,” Ponting told ICC.
Ricky Ponting added that Warner’s form is not a concern from Australia’s point of view as he is a feisty competitor.
“Basically, had the worst bone bruising and his contusion on the back of his hand that he’s ever seen. He’s a feisty little competitor that once the World Cup comes around, he hits the Australian colours back on again. Then I’ve got no real concerns about him,” he added.
Notably, David Warner will be featuring for the Australia National Cricket Team for the final time as he has already announced his retirement from Tests and ODIs and will finish his T20I career at the upcoming World Cup.
He’s not worried about the negative of getting out – Ricky Ponting on Travis Head
Unlike David Warner, his Australian teammate Travis Head had a stellar IPL season with the Sunrisers Hyderabad as he slammed 567 runs at an amazing average of 40.50.
Talking about Travis Head, Ricky Ponting stated that the batter has changed his approach on how to deal with the outside noise and it has benefitted him a lot.
“He’s not worried about the negative of getting out. (In T20 Cricket) You’ve got to go out there and try in the first ball for six. If it comes off, it comes off. You’re away, your team’s away,” he said.
“(Earlier) he was worried about what someone might have said or what the media wrote if he got out playing a certain shot, rather than just going out and backing himself and scoring runs. So for me, that’s been the real change in him.”
Meanwhile, Australia have already announced their squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 and the likes of Steve Smith and Jake Fraser-McGurk have missed out on selection in the main squad. The Mitchell Marsh-led side will start their World Cup campaign against Oman in Barbados on June 5.
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