Ricky Ponting picks replacement if David Warner is ruled out of 2nd Ashes Test

Australian legend Ricky Ponting has backed Usman Khawaja to replace David Warner if the latter's rib injury rules him out of the second Ashes Test.

Warner didn't take the field on the third day at the Gabba on Friday. He was peppered with a few nasty blows on the chest from Mark Wood and Ben Stokes on Thursday. While the X-ray results showed no fracture, the opener could miss the Adelaide Test, which begins on December 16, if his discomfort continues.

Speaking to cricket.com.au, Ponting said Khawaja's recent form makes him the frontrunner for the pink ball Test if Warner is not fit to play. However, the former captain admitted that Khawaja's lack of opening experience of late could be 'a bit of a concern' for the hosts. Ponting said:

“If (Warner) can't play, I think it's probably Khawaja that goes in and opens the batting. Although he hasn't done it the last couple of years for Queensland, he has done it for Australia before."

"He's obviously in really good form, so I think that's probably the way to go. I think he's experienced enough, but the fact he hasn't done it for a while would be a bit of a concern."

Ponting says Khawaja might not enjoy facing the pink ball against James Anderson on his Test comeback. However, the 46-year-old feels Australia don't have much of a choice in this regard, adding:

"As a batsman, if there's one place you probably don't want to be opening, it’s a pink ball game in Adelaide because you might happen to get put in at night."

"We saw what England did there on the last (Ashes) tour (in 2017-18) – there was one night in that Test match when England got to bowl late with a brand new ball, and it swung all over the place. I think he can do it, and if it's not him then I'm not sure where I’d be looking at it because you don’t want to be bringing anyone young in because it’s such a big series.”

Khawaja has scored two centuries and as many fifties in the Shelfield Shield while batting at No. 4. However, in a toss-up between him and Travis Head for the only available middle-order spot in the first Test, Australia chose Head. The left-hander vindicated his selection with a magnificent 152 in the first innings.

However, Khawaja is no bunny at the top of the order. In seven Tests, he has collected 484 runs at 96.8 in that position, including 145 in a pink-ball Test against South Africa in Adelaide.

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"There might be a bit more to it than what we're hearing" - Ricky Ponting on David Warner's injury

Weighing on David Warner's injury, Ricky Ponting said that he saw the opener wearing a chest guard. That, coupled with Warner not fielding at all, has made him concerned that there's more to the injury than what has been made public.

Ponting said in this regard:

“It's a worry that he's not out there at all. We’ll have a better idea when he bats, or if he bats at all in the second innings. I noticed that after he got hit, he came out after one of the breaks, and you could see that he had a little (chest) guard over that area."

"I got a bit worried about it then because I've never seen him with a chest guard on before. Even if it’s just bruising, I would think that he'd be out there fielding, so there might be a bit more to it than what we're hearing.”

Australia will hope Ponting's suspicision isn't right, and their premier batter recovers quickly to play the remaining Tests in the series.

Meanwhile, after conceding a deficit of nearly 300 runs, England (220-2) closed Day 3 only 58 runs in arrears. Captain Joe Root (86*) and Dawid Malan (80*) are at the crease, having put together an unbeaten 159-run partnership.