Melbourne: Former captain Ricky Ponting on Tuesday slammed the Australian batsmen for lacking intent while facing Indian bowlers in the ongoing Test series, saying the hosts have to stop being "scared of getting out" to arrest the slide.
India registered a remarkable eight-wicket win in the second Test here after a humiliating defeat in the first match in Adelaide where they had scored their lowest ever Test score of 36.
"(Australia) made 191 there (in Adelaide), 195 and 200 here. That's not batting in Test match cricket. And the worry I've got is how long it takes them to get those runs. That's my issue," Ponting told cricket.com.au.
"They've got to show some more intent. They can't be scared of getting out. They've got to go out and bat and score runs and they've got to get them quicker than two-and-a-half runs an over."
The legendary batsman said the national selectors "have got more questions to answer now than they have had in a long time".
He said if the Australians were trying to apply themselves and bat for long periods of time, they "haven't been good enough to do that" as can be seen in Adelaide and at the MCG.
"They've scored at two-and-a-half runs an over in Adelaide and here (in Melbourne) and they did (that) against India in the last series out here (and) that was also another losing series.