Former Australia Test captain Ricky Ponting has responded to Ollie Robinson’s comments made during the Ashes Test at Edgbaston. Ponting, who found himself at the center of a sledging debate, has questioned Ben Stokes’ claim that England is not a results-driven team.
Ponting, fired up by Robinson’s defense of his send-off to Usman Khawaja, emphasized the need for Robinson to match his words with actions. Robinson had cited past instances involving Ponting and other Australian players as justification for his behavior, but Ponting challenged him to grasp the true essence of Ashes cricket against a formidable Australian team.
“As I said after Ollie Robinson said what he said, this England cricket team hasn’t played against Australia and they’ll find out pretty quickly what playing Ashes cricket and playing against a good Australian cricket team is all about,” Ponting told the ICC Review podcast.
Ponting expressed his belief that the current England team will quickly realize the intensity of Ashes cricket when facing Australia. He also labeled Robinson as a slow learner if he hasn’t grasped that lesson already. Ponting brushed off the reference to his own name, considering it insignificant, and suggested that if Robinson is preoccupied with him, it may have affected his performance in the game. Ponting further emphasized that in an Ashes series, one must back up any talk with exceptional skills when facing Australian cricketers.
“And if Ollie Robinson hasn’t learned that already after last week, then he’s a slow learner.
“Some of the things he had to say – I mean he even brought my name into it, which I felt was a little bit unusual, but for me it’s water off a duck’s back.
“If he is sitting back thinking about me, then no wonder he bowled like the way that he did in that game, if he’s worried about what I did 15 years ago.
“He’ll learn pretty quickly that if you’re going to talk to Australian cricketers in an Ashes series, then you want to be able to back it up with your skills.”
