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NEW DELHI: Former Australian captain and legendary batter Ricky Ponting has opened up about the challenging selection decisions Cricket Australia faces ahead of the five-match Ashes series against England, starting November 21.

The series will be a crucial part of the ICC World Test Championship standings, adding further significance to the clashes between the arch-rivals.

Top-Order Debate: Konstas or Labuschagne?

Much of the pre-series discussion revolves around the composition of Australia’s top-order batting. In particular, whether young batter Sam Konstas will retain his spot despite an inconsistent start to his international career.

Speaking on the latest episode of The ICC Review, Ponting said that the key decision for selectors is whether to back Konstas or recall experienced right-hander Marnus Labuschagne to open alongside Usman Khawaja.

"We are in a really interesting little phase right now with the talk about the selections for this first Test match because it was well planned by Cricket Australia to have four Sheffield Shield games leading into the first Test," Ponting explained.

He added that while some players have impressed in the first two domestic games, others, including Konstas, have not fully capitalised on their opportunities.

"Two of those games have been played already. Some guys have been standouts, other guys that are in the reckoning haven't really taken their opportunity to the maximum just yet. We know Sam Konstas has been the incumbent as he played the last series in the West Indies, but he's one that probably hasn't capitalised as much as he would have liked in those first two (domestic) games," Ponting said.

Ponting highlighted Labuschagne as the obvious choice if he regains form.

"Marnus Labuschagne is the obvious one. Marnus, at his absolute best, is in Australia's best team every day of the week," Ponting noted.

However, Ponting acknowledged that Labuschagne has struggled to find his peak form over the past couple of years, though he is now showing signs of resurgence at the domestic level.

"But he hasn't been able to find his best form over the last couple of years. And it looks like now, back at the state level, he's starting to find it again. It is certainly starting to look that way, and he is a lot more confident in scoring. I think he's made four centuries in his last six innings, so he's going well, even though there is still a long, long way out," Ponting said.

The crucial all-rounder selection

Fitness of all-rounders Cameron Green and Beau Webster will also influence selection plans. Green has withdrawn from the ongoing one-day series against India due to stiffness, while Webster’s inclusion depends on his domestic availability, following an ankle injury.

"Cameron Green is the other (unknown) one right now," Ponting said.

"He’s actually pulled out of this one-day series (against India) with some stiffness in his side. Now we know that he hasn't bowled for a long time. And if he bowls or if he doesn't bowl, it could have a big impact on the way that the Australian batting lines up for the first Test. If he's 100 per cent fit and ready to bowl properly in Perth, then they might think about the batting order being slightly different," he added.

Ponting believes Webster deserves a place in the squad regardless of Green’s fitness.

"Do they need Webster then at No.6, or has Webster done enough to keep himself in the side anyway. I'd like to think that he has, even if Green is bowling, he'll probably be on limited workload anyway, so I think Webster deserves to be in the side," Ponting noted.

Balancing Youth and Experience

Ultimately, Ponting sees the decision between nurturing young talent or relying on proven performers as the selectors’ biggest dilemma.

"So then it comes down to whether they want to back in the youth of Konstas at the start of a national series, or if the sheer weight of runs for Marnus is going to get him back into the team. If it does, I think he'll be in the team as an opening batter," he concluded.