'Not going to survive': Ricky Ponting looks towards the future amid Jake Weatherald uncertainty
Australian cricket great Ricky Ponting has cast doubt over Jake Weatherald's future in the Test side following a tough Ashes series for the opening batter.
Weatherald was given all five matches to prove why he should be the long-term man at the top of the order, but managed 201 runs at an average of 22 for the summer.
The left-hander showed promising signs, including a half-century at the Gabba, but was exposed on numerous occasions by the England bowlers.
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His technique became a major talking point and according to Ponting, the 31-year-old Darwin product will struggle to become a mainstay if he doesn't fix things soon.
Ricky Ponting has concerns over Jake Weatherald. Getty
"For mine his stance and technical issues, he is not going to survive doing what he's doing now at the highest level," Ponting told SEN Radio.
"In that series he struggled with full straight balls and with the more direct short ball. You don't survive at Test level with this. This is all to do with stance, it's way too wide.
"If I was a selector, I would say to him: 'we love what you bring but you have four Shield games to prove you can change stance and technique. If you can do that we will give you another go. If you can't change what we saw ... it might be time to move on'.
"When you face 145 (kmh) and you don't have the extra yard, you're in real trouble."
With the jury still out on Weatherald's future in the team, Ponting has thrown his support behind two talented youngsters to make the jump over the next 18 months.
Australia will have an extended break from Test cricket until August's series against Bangladesh, which will lead into a monster run including tours of South Africa and India before the next Ashes series in the middle of next year.
"I got asked during the Sydney Test what I would do for the 2027 Ashes and I have Campbell Kellaway and Ollie Peake in that touring squad," he said.
Campbell Kellaway celebrates a century for Victoria. Getty
"But I would have them in straight away. [It is] 20 Test matches out from that series, let them play to learn and see if they're good enough to stand up to international level.
"That way if you get 10 Tests in and you find out they're not, then you have 10 Tests to look around for others."
Kellaway has amassed 2143 runs at 33 in first-class cricket with three centuries, while Peake has three half-centuries in 10 appearances to date.
Peake will captain Australia at the U19s World Cup, which began this past week.
