Ashes Series Is Mentally And Physically Demanding; Australia Better Off Playing Less Tests In The Lead-Up: Ricky Ponting

Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting believes that the Tim Paine-led unit not playing much Test cricket in the lead-up to the Ashes later this year could well be a blessing in disguise for the former world champions.

The next edition of the iconic Ashes series will kickstart at the Gabba in Brisbane from December 08 but both sides are set to have a contrasting build-up to the historic rubber.

While England would have already played 9 Tests against India, 2 vs New Zealand, and 2 vs Sri Lanka during the calendar year by the time they take the field at the Gabba on December 08, Australia would have played just one Test (vs Afghanistan from November 27 in Perth) post their 1-2 series defeat against India back in January.

While many believe that Australia runs in danger of turning up for the Ashes undercooked due to the lack of consistent Test cricket in the preceding months, Ricky Ponting has reckoned that given the physical and mental demands of the five-day game and especially Ashes cricket, it is actually good that Australia aren’t playing much Test cricket before the marquee rubber

“I honestly don’t think it matters that much. If they get a bit of first-class cricket in and they get that one Test match in against Afghanistan, are you better off going into the Ashes series with not a lot or going in with a lot (of Tests),” Ricky Ponting told cricket.com.au.

“Ashes series are so physically and mentally draining; you might be better off going in with less,” he added.

The three-time Ashes losing captain and the only Australian skipper to drop the urn on home soil (2010/11) in the last 3 decades, Ricky Ponting, however, added that it will ultimately boil down to which side wins the key moments irrespective of the amount of cricket that they would have played before the series.

“But it doesn’t matter what you’re going in with, it’s about what you do in those big moments, as we saw with the India series,” he added.

For the uninitiated, Australia are the current holders of the Ashes, having won the 2017 rubber on home soil 4-0 before drawing the series in the UK (2-2) two summers ago.

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