In the aftermath of Gautam Gambhir’s much-publicised spat with Oval head groundsman Lee Curtis ahead of the fifth England-India Test, an incident that also followed England coach Brendon McCullum in conversation with Curtis, pitch preparation has become an even hotter talking point in cricket circles. The Oval surface, notably, reverted to a traditional English pitch for that final Test, a departure from the batting-friendly tracks rolled out in the first four matches of the series.
Ricky Ponting spoke in detail about the upcoming Ashes series(Files)
Against that backdrop, former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has made it clear that he doesn’t expect any such behind-the-scenes requests from his country when England arrive for the Ashes in November.
“It’ll be interesting to see which way we prepare our tracks,” Ponting told The Times.
“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. 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.”
Ponting’s remarks come at a time when England’s ‘Bazball’ approach remains one of the sport’s most polarising topics. While some critics argue the ultra-aggressive batting strategy encourages dead pitches and sidelines the contest between bat and ball, the majority, Ponting included, find it thrilling to watch.
“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.”
Ponting on England at Ashes
The legendary former Aussie captain believes England are capable of adapting their high-tempo approach to Australian conditions.
“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.