Though only 24, Hughes has already been dropped three times from the Australian test team. Warner has also been unable to establish a regular place and both have been moved up and down the batting order.
"I'd like to see the selectors pick who they believe their best six batsmen are for the first test and then actually stick when them for the whole series," Ponting said. "Give them a bit of confidence and a bit of security, knowing that they're not playing for their spot each time they walk out on to the field. And then, at the end of the five (Ashes) tests, if some of the batsmen haven't done it, then it probably is time to move on and look for someone else."
Australia has lost four of the five Ashes since 2005, when Ponting's squad lost in England to end an almost two-decade period of domination. That included a home series defeat in 2010-11 and the most recent series that finished in England in August.
