Ricky Ponting roasts England over Ashes pitch preparation after Gautam Gambhir’s exchange with Oval curator

Former World Cup-winning captain Ricky Ponting said that Australia would not influence pitch preparation for the upcoming Ashes following recent controversy in England. The former cricketer said that neither he nor his coaches ever approached groundsmen for pitch conditions during his playing days.

Gautam Gambhir was involved in a heated exchange with Oval groundsman Lee Fortis before the fifth Test. England coach Brendon McCullum also had a discussion with Curtis. Notably, the Oval curator prepared a traditional English surface, following the batting-friendly wickets used in the earlier matches.

Don’t Think the Aussies Will Be Saying Anything to the Groundsmen - Ricky Ponting

Ricky Ponting stated that he does not anticipate any behind-the-scenes involvement from the Australian team in pitch preparation for the Ashes series. Ponting also noted that while England prefer flat pitches to suit their batting style, Australian conditions offer more assistance to bowlers.

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

“It’ll be interesting to see which way we prepare our tracks. “I don’t think the Aussies will be saying anything to the groundsmen. Certainly through my time I didn’t speak to the groundsman, and even my coaches didn’t speak to him,” Ponting told The Times.

"They always expected them to prepare the best wicket they could … I don’t really know which way England want it. They probably play their best cricket when they’ve got flatter pitches, because that’s what they need for their batting, but in Australia they probably need something in the wickets to help their bowling.”

I Love Watching the Way England Play - Ricky Ponting

Ricky Ponting also spoke about the ongoing debate surrounding England’s aggressive ‘Bazball’ style. He added that Australia has adapted to this approach after facing it in the past. Ponting said that England have been evolving with the dynamics of modern Test cricket.

“I’m as Aussie as anyone and I love watching the way they [England] play. The Aussies embraced it and learnt about it the last time they were here,” Ponting said.

“They’ll have an understanding now of what is a slightly more refined version of what England started a few years ago.”

England adopted the ‘Bazball’ approach under coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes. Australia is expected to be better prepared for the upcoming series after facing it during the 2023 Ashes in England. England secured a 2-2 draw against India in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.

That Will Give Them a Good Chance in the Series - Ricky Ponting

The legendary batter believes England can adapt their aggressive batting style to Australian conditions. He added that England’s ability to dominate early batting sessions will be crucial to their success in the upcoming series.

“I think they can [bat aggressively in Australia], and they will definitely try. It’s the way they naturally play and it’s the way the coaches and captain want them to play."

"It’s the way they need to play — it just sets up everything for England, putting immediate pressure back on the bowlers."

"You [the fielding side] have to adapt really quickly. They probably hold the key in Australia. If they can bat really well at the top, and set things up, that will give them a good chance in the series,” said Ponting.

Also read: After Yash Dayal, Rajat Patidar gets involved in police case; Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers dragged in