The former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has revealed who he desires to open the innings with Usman Khawaja for Australia in the upcoming high-voltage Border-Gavaskar Trophy, commences from November 22.

Nathan McSweeney 
Ponting recently predicted 19-year-old teen prodigy Sam Konstas as the opener but his poor outing against India A in McKay has dropped his chances. 

In an exclusive interview with Sanjana Ganesan on the latest episode of The ICC Review, Ponting said that Nathan McSweeney was now his first choice to win the role just ahead of the promising Konstas.

“I was put on the spot about a week ago, and I sort of immediately went to the young guy, Sam Konstas. He had come off back-to-back hundreds against South Australia,” Ponting said.

“Then I thought a bit more about it and, he is so young and he has probably not even played on grounds like Optus (Perth) Stadium or at The Gabba.

“He wouldn’t have played a pink-ball (match) at Adelaide Oval either. So there’s a lot of things that stack up against the young guy, although there’s no doubt that he’s got talent.”

Sam Konstas made a three-ball duck in the first innings and scored only 16 before being knocked out to Mukesh Kumar in the second innings.

While Australia A skipper Nathan McSweeney stabilised the Australia ‘A’ innings with a steady 39 in the first innings and is unbeaten on 47* during the chase of 225.