Ponting, who inherited one of the great Australian sides from Steve Waugh, now has an enviable mix of youth and experience at his disposal for the Ashes defence starting in Cardiff on July 8.

"The last series in South Africa was a good one with some young guys who learned a lot about international cricket and a fair bit about themselves," said Ponting.

"I've said for a while I've been very happy and very excited about where our Test cricket is heading. It's an opportunity for players on this tour to really forge an identity for themselves."