Marsh, a key figure in the Australia limited-overs set-up, was ruled out of the upcoming event last month due to a back injury and national selectors have until February 12 to finalise his replacement and submit their final squad of 15 to the ICC.
While Marcus Harris and Matthew Renshaw have been used as reserve batters in recent tours to India and England, Ponting thinks Bancroft has jumped to the top of the pecking order on the back of some sensational form at domestic level in Australia over the last few years.
Tactical substitutions will be introduced in this season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). After being used in the domestic T20 competition Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for the first time in October-November, the concept will "add a new dimension to IPL"