Australian legend Ricky Ponting believes that opener Aaron Finch has a very bright future in Test cricket following an impressive half-century on day one in Perth which ensured a solid start for the hosts in the second clash.
"What it showed today to everybody, and more importantly to himself, is that he has got a game that can stand up opening the batting at Test level," Ponting told cricket.com.au.
"He's been working hard on a few things over the last few weeks and I know Justin Langer did a lot of really good stuff with him in Adelaide on the night the (first Test) finished, a few balance things and a few things to take the weight out of his front leg and not fall so much across his stumps."
"He had a few moments today where he did that a little bit, but in general I thought he played really well."
"He looked to be aggressive, play the ball off the back foot, which is a really good sign for him. It means he's not getting onto the front foot too early."
"When you do go on the front foot too early you struggle to play back and miss out on a lot of scoring opportunities."
"He'd be disappointed to get out the way he got out after being 50 and batting a long period of time then missing a full, straight one."
"If he thinks about staying leg-side of the ball and not over-committing to the line too early then I think he's got a very bright future at Test level," he added.
Ponting also believes that there are similarities in the style of play adopted by him as well as Finch.
"The way that he plays, looking to get forward and across his stumps, is sort of the way I played."
"It was the little things that I had to work on right through my career, just to help out with my balance and 'un-weighting' my front leg if you like, to load up a bit of weight on my back foot and making one move into the ball rather than trying to make two or three movements."
"The most important thing with Aaron is that I'd rather see him being beaten on the outside of the bat, not the inside of the bat," Ponting concluded.
