Ricky Ponting says Glenn Maxwell's Australia squad snub is 'bizarre'
Friday 14 September 2018 09:46, UK
Ex-captain Ricky Ponting and former coach Darren Lehmann have criticised Australia boss Justin Langer for not including Glenn Maxwell in the 15-man Test squad to face Pakistan.
Five uncapped players were named in the team for the two matches in the United Arab Emirates, the first of which gets underway in Abu Dhabi on October 7.
All-rounder Maxwell featured in tours of Bangladesh, India and Pakistan in 2017 but not in the Aussies' dominant Ashes victory.
The Victoria Bushrangers and Melbourne Stars off-spinner was recalled at short notice for the scandal-ridden tour of South Africa in March 2018.
Maxwell, 29, was then snubbed by selectors for Australia A's unofficial Tests in India earlier in September.
Ponting was left confused at selectors deciding to rest Maxwell.
The two-time World Cup winning skipper told cricket.com.au: "If I was Maxi I'd be thinking, 'why didn't you give me the chance to actually go there [to India] and push my case to get myself into the team?
"That's all a bit bizarre to me. If I was Maxi and I hadn't been given the chance to play for Australia A, I'd be ropeable.
"I'm not sure what the message is, but it's a bit confusing to me," Ponting added.
Batsmen Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head are among the five debutantes for the two-Test series and featured Australia A's tour of India.
Head scored over 200 runs over the two matches and was leading run scorer for Justin Langer's side, Labuschagne, however, was caught for two ducks in Australia's second Test and made an average of 24.
Lehmann, who was replaced by Langer after Australia's South Africa tour, suggested the selectors' decisions represented a look to the future.
"I would have picked him," Lehmann told Macquarie Sports Radio.
"It was a tough one with Glenn, he made a ton the last time they toured India and he made a lot of runs in the Sheffield Shield. He plays spin quite well and it was an interesting decision."
"They see (Travis) Head and young Marnus (Labuschagne) from Queensland as real long-term prospects," he said.
