Ashes: Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting was not impressed with Joe Root’s captaincy after England were thrashed by 275 runs in second Test in Adelaide on Monday.
Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting was not impressed with Joe Root’s captaincy after England were thrashed by 275 runs in the second Ashes Test in Adelaide on Monday. With the defeat, England now trail 0-2 in the five-match series with the third Test starting on Boxing Day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Ponting, who led the criticism of England bowlers in the first two Tests, lambasted Root, saying that it’s the job of a captain to make the changes when things aren’t going well.
“Whose job is it then to make them change? Why are you captain then? If you can’t influence your bowlers on what length to bowl, what are you doing on the field?,” Ponting was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.
Ponting’s comments came after Root had said the bowlers didn’t bowl in the right areas.
“I don’t think we bowled the right lengths. If we’re being brutally honest, we needed to bowl fuller,” Root had said.
Ponting further criticised Root, saying that the latter was not firm enough in terms of strategy with his senior bowlers.
“Joe Root can come back and say whatever he likes but if you’re captain, you’ve got to be able to sense when your bowlers aren’t bowling where you want them to,” said Ponting.
Ponting even went on to suggest that the most promising period of England’s bowling performance had come when Root was off the field due to a groin knock.
“The interesting thing for me is the only time they bowled full in the game was when Joe Root wasn’t on the ground,” the 47-year-old added.