"Needs to have a lot more game awareness" - Ricky Ponting criticises Matthew Wade

Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting has slammed Matthew Wade for playing a reckless shot on the second day of the Sydney Test. Wade was dismissed after he decided to take on Ravindra Jadeja but could only manage to top edge to Jasprit Bumrah. Ponting felt Wade lacked game awareness as he gave his wicket away just before the second new ball was due.

Matthew Wade, who opened the batting in the first two Tests of the series, was shifted to the middle-order at the Sydney Cricket Ground. But the southpaw could only manage 13 runs when the game was evenly poised.

Ricky Ponting was highly critical of Wade's shot and said on Channel Seven:

"Matthew Wade needs to have a lot more game awareness. In a situation like that, Matthew Wade has been opening in the last couple of Test matches, so the new ball is not going to faze him. But what he's done by getting out is expose Cameron Green to the new ball, a guy in his third Test, and for mine that is just not thinking enough about the situation of the game," Ponting said.

“We talk about game awareness and understanding what's happening in the game. There was a phase there that Matthew Wade had to make sure he was there when the new ball came out.” added Ponting.

Ponting's concerns came true as Cameron Green was dismissed for a duck after India took the new ball. Australia, who could have batted India out of the game today, gave the visitors a chance by being bowled out for 338 in the first innings.

Ouch! Wade smokes it into Vihari #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/uB2IXQuDUI

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 8, 2021

Matthew Wade vs Travis Head: The debate continues

Matthew Wade

Matthew Wade's position in the playing XI could come under the scanner as he has been picked ahead of Travis Head. Head managed to get decent starts in the Melbourne Test as he managed scores of 38 & 17 but failed to kick on.

Wade will need to fare better in the second innings or many might feel his selection over Head wasn't justified.

Former seamer Jason Gillespie seemed to be in favour of selecting Travis Head and had said to The Age:

He's(Travis Head) averaging 40 in Test cricket after 19 Test matches. Mark Waugh played 127 games and averaged 41. Why is Travis under such scrutiny? I find it staggering. What specifically was it that has Wade in ahead of Head? That would be my question.”