Australian opener David Warner is all set to bid adieu to Test cricket after the home series against Pakistan in January and legendary batter Ricky Ponting feels that Cameron Bancroft is the suitable candidate to replace him in the red-ball team.
For the second consecutive year, Bancroft is leading the run-charts in Sheffield Shield. Despite scoring 945 runs in the domestic top-tier last season, he was sidelined in Australia's Ashes squad to fit Marcus Harris for the spare batting place.
Apart from Harris, Queensland batter Matt Renshaw is the other option to pair with Usman Khawaja after Warner's farewell Test at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
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According to Ponting, Bancroft is likely to get the chance over the other two in the squad. All three parables will get the opportunity to prove their worth in Prime Minister's XI against Pakistan in Canberra before the commencement of the Test series.
"If you look at those three guys, I think it's quite clear that Bancroft is the one that's got the runs on the board and I wouldn't be surprised if they [selectors] go that way. If you wind the clock back about six months it might have been a slightly different order than what it is now," Ponting told SEN on Thursday.
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"I think they probably had Harris as the one that would come back in a while ago. To me now it sort of feels [there's] a bit more of a groundswell behind Cameron Bancroft getting first crack," he added.
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Ponting further cautioned team management to not rush Cameron Green in the Test side and said he should score runs in the Shield to earn his place back.
"I think Cameron Green might just have to sit back and bide his time and wait for the opportunity to come back. He can get a truckload of runs in Shield cricket and sort of force his way back into the side," Ponting said.
"[Marnus] Labuschagne has been outstanding at number three for Australia, it's very much a specialist position," he added.
Former Australian skipper also batted for the inclusion of all-rounder Glenn Maxwell in the Test side after his recent success in the white-ball format in India.
"I could see him getting back into a Test line-up because of the all round game that he brings in those conditions. The [201] not out in that game against Afghanistan, which is the most remarkable one-day innings I've ever seen," Ponting said.
"I've been around a lot of games, watched a lot of games, played a lot of games, I've never ever seen anything like that," he added.
Australia are scheduled to host Pakistan for a three-match Test series, starting in Perth on December 14. Australia's squad for the first Test is expected to be named in the coming days.