Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting questioned English skipper Ben Stokes’ comments about the dismissal of Jonny Bairstow on day 5 of the second test match of the Ashes 2023 series. While many fans viewed Bairstow’s dismissal as debatable, Stokes also questioned the decision, suggesting in the post-match presentation that the dismissal took place on the final delivery from Green’s over and Bairstow should have allowed his crease to open. leave and talk to him. captain immediately.
But Ponting made his position clear on this by saying that the only relevant aspect of the entire dismissal was whether the field umpire declared the over complete or not.
In the latest episode of the ICC Review, Ponting said: “There is no (difference). There is no difference because the ball is still alive until the umpire calls and the ball is alive and it doesn’t matter if it’s the fourth, first, second is. , or third ball, you must still ask permission to leave your crease and if you do, and the field captain says, yes, you may leave your crease, the ball is considered dead.”
Ponting believes it was easy for Stokes to make a bold statement about the whole incident as he had plenty of time to think and formulate his response after the match ended.
“It’s quite easy for Ben to sit down at the end (of the game) and give that point of view. But he was actually there as the captain of his team. He could have asked there and then, in the hottest of the battle, if he was thinking clearly as he said he was three hours into the post-game,” Ponting noted.
“If he had thought enough, he would have said that to the officials: ‘You know, was it over? Did you start moving? Is the ball dead?’ It was the questions that needed to be answered then and not at the end of the game when he said it,” added Ponting.
Ponting further suggested that since his days as captain times have changed and modern players now tend to take more liberties during their time at the crease.
“I just think the modern game is a bit different than it once was with respect to the field team captain. I know when I was playing and the ball had gone through the keeper you wouldn’t dare leave your crease until you actually asked the opposition captain if it was OK and if the ball was dead and Jonny hadn’t,” Ponting signed off.
England now take on Australia in the third test match of the Ashes 2023 series on July 6 at the Yorkshire Cricket Ground.
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