Latest news with #Ponting


NDTV
8 hours ago
- Sport
- NDTV
Ricky Ponting Recalls Moment When Mitchell Starc's Delivery Left Sachin Tendulkar Startled
Former Australia captain and ICC Hall of Famer Ricky Ponting took a trip down memory lane and reminisced about the moment that served as the "reassurance" that there was something "extra special" for seasoned quick Mitchell Starc. There aren't many bowlers who play 100 Tests or take 400 wickets in the format, but Starc has added both accolades in his illustrious career in a destructive fashion. Earlier this week, Starc made the pink Dukes' ball dance to his tunes and blazed his way to the fastest five-wicket haul. He needed just 15 deliveries to accomplish the feat, becoming the second-fastest to 400 Test wickets and finishing with career-best figures of 6/9 as the West Indies packed on a historic low, 27 in Jamaica. When Starc was finding his feet at the pinnacle of cricket, Ponting was part of the dressing room during the speedster's early days. He vividly recalled Australia's encounter against India at WACA in 2012, which was just Starc's third Test. During the fiery contest, Starc unsettled the legendary 'Master Blaster' Sachin Tendulkar with pace and movement, exhibiting signs of his true potential. "I remember, he was bowling a spell to Sachin Tendulkar and was able to sort of bowl a short one, get up under Sachin's armpit and Sachin just sort of knocked one into short leg on the leg side," Ponting recalled on the ICC Review. "And when you could see that sort of pace and bounce and have someone like Sachin not be able to cope with it, I think that was the reassurance for all of us that there was probably something extra special there for Mitchell Starc," he added. Former Australia captain lavished praise on Starc's legacy, which spans over 16 years and 292 international matches. Ponting believes that even as a youngster, it wasn't hard to identify that Starc was destined for greatness. "He's really now stacking up an amazing career - over 400 Test match wickets. I think everyone who laid eyes on him as a youngster understood that there was every possibility that he could be a 100-Test match, 400 or 500-wicket fast bowler for Australia," he said. "He's got to be 6'5". He's always had pace on his side. He's always been sort of that high 140s and sometimes pushing that sort of 150 barrier. He's had the ability to swing the new ball back into the right-handers," he added. Starc arguably has all the accolades that a player dreams of achieving. The 35-year-old left-armer is a two-time 50-over World Cup winner, T20 World Cup champion, and World Test Championship winner. With 725 international wickets to his name, Starc etched his name as a modern-day great. For Ponting, there is an insatiable hunger in Starc, which keeps him wanting to evolve, improve and add new weapons in his heavily loaded artillery. "He's got better and better. Like skill-wise and mentally, I think he understands his body, understands his game probably better than ever, especially the last couple of years," Ponting said. "He's added a couple of different skills maybe the last two or three years that don't seem like massive things, but he's sort of incorporated that three-quarters seam, that wobble seam delivery that's just made his in-swing of that little bit more potent as well and has given him a little bit more variation," he added.


Indian Express
a day ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Ricky Ponting gives his views on who should open for Australia in Ashes 2025
It has been a while since David Warner retired from Test cricket, and Australia are yet to find a long-term replacement for the southpaw. They did try their hand with Nathan McSweeney during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy but quickly moved on to young Sam Konstas. Apart from his blistering innings at Melbourne on Boxing Day, Konstas did find it hard to create the same impact at the international stage as he did at the domestic level. In the recently concluded Test series against the West Indies, the teenager struggled even more, which opened up the debate of who needs to open in the Ashes 2025 later Down Under. 'The batters that they're talking about in the last couple of weeks in particular have been Sam Konstas and Usman Khawaja, and then there was some talk about Cameron Green, whether he's a long-term number three or not,' Former Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting said on the ICC Review. 'Green's second innings in the West Indies might have put that to bed. As tough as the conditions were, the way he batted might have silenced a few of those critics,' he said. 'I read a really interesting piece by Robert Craddock about how they tried to protect Sam from the Sri Lanka tour, thinking the Caribbean would be easier. But it turned out the pitches in Sri Lanka were better for batting and the West Indies surfaces were tough,' Ponting explained. 'That last match where the West Indies were bowled out for 27 – that's not just world-class bowling, that's also about the surface and conditions,' he added. 'The unfortunate thing about Test cricket is that, when you're a young player, you often have to work things out yourself – in the middle,' Ponting said. 'Practice, coaching, advice, they all help, but finding a method that works for you happens out there in real match situations,' he concluded.


Time of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
'Someone like Sachin Tendulkar ...': When Ricky Ponting knew Mitchell Starc was special
Australia's Mitchell Starc (AP Photo) As Mitchell Starc tore through the West Indies with a career-best 6 for 9 in his 100th Test, former Australian captain Ricky Ponting reflected on the moment he first knew Starc was destined for greatness - a fiery spell to Sachin Tendulkar in just his third Test. Starc's stunning performance in Jamaica - claiming five wickets in 15 balls to help bowl West Indies out for a shocking 27 - was the perfect celebration of a milestone few fast bowlers ever reach. But according to Ponting, the signs were evident long ago. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! "I remember, he was bowling a spell to Sachin Tendulkar... got up under Sachin's armpit and Sachin just sort of knocked one into short leg," Ponting told The ICC Review. Poll Do you think Mitchell Starc will reach 500 Test wickets? Yes, absolutely Maybe, if he stays healthy No, I don't think so "When you could see that sort of pace and bounce, and have someone like Sachin not be able to cope with it - that was the reassurance for all of us that there was something extra special in Mitchell Starc." After Lord's heartbreak, Team India start training for Manchester, in London! Ponting, part of the dressing room in Starc's early days, said the left-arm pacer's raw pace, bounce, and ability to swing the new ball made him a standout even as a teenager. "He's got to be 6'5". Always had pace, high 140s, touching 150. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Vastu Compliant 3BHK @ Kalyani LivingTree, KIADB, Bagalur Kalyani Developers Learn More Undo Swinging the new ball back into right-handers - it was clear early that he could be a 100-Test, 400-500 wicket bowler for Australia." Now 35, Starc has delivered on that early promise. With over 400 Test wickets, multiple ICC trophies, and 725 international wickets across formats, his legacy as one of Australia's all-time greats is secure. Ponting also praised Starc's discipline in managing his career. Tracing Moeen Ali's steps in Birmingham "He made a lot of decisions for longevity - like skipping IPLs to stay fresh for Australia. That commitment's never been questioned." Starc's 100th Test was a masterclass in fast bowling - but as Ponting recalled, the moment that hinted at this greatness came years ago, when a young quick made the Little Master uncomfortable. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!


Indian Express
2 days ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
‘He got up under Sachin's armpit with a short ball': Mitchell Starc spell to Tendulkar in 2012 destined him for greatness, says Ricky Ponting
Australia's pace superstar Mitchell Starc had a milestone 100th Test match that not a lot of fast bowlers can dream of. Starc perfected it in reality as he tormented West Indies and reduced them to the second-lowest score (27 all out) in Test history as Australia completed a 3-0 whitewash in Jamaica. Sixteen years on since making his First-Class debut for New South Wales, Starc has stamped his legacy among the greats of fast bowling and former Australia captain Ricky Ponting who has seen the left-armer through his early days believes he has gotten 'better and better' with age. The 35-year-old Starc took home a heap of records as he became the second-fastest man to reach 400 Test wickets and even extended his record with the new ball with 23 scalps in the first over, the most since his Test debut. 'Skill-wise and mentally, I think he understands his body, understands his game probably better than ever, especially the last couple of years,' Ponting noted in the ICC Review podcast. 'He's added a couple of different skills maybe the last two or three years that don't seem like massive things, but he's sort of incorporated that three-quarters seam, that wobble seam delivery that's just made his in-swing of that little bit more potent as well and has given him a little bit more variation.' Ponting recalled how it was a fiery 2012 spell at WACA, Perth to his long-time contemporary and India batting great Sachin Tendulkar that destined Starc for greatness in his eyes. In the second innings of the WACA Test in 2012, Ponting recounted how Starc, playing only his third Test and a first against India, had constricted Tendulkar by targeting his shoulder. 'I remember, he was bowling a spell to Sachin Tendulkar and was able to sort of bowl a short one, get up under Sachin's armpit and Sachin just sort of knocked one into short leg on the leg side. 'And when you could see that sort of pace and bounce and have someone like Sachin not be able to cope with it, I think that was the reassurance for all of us that there was probably something extra special there for Mitchell Starc,' said Ponting. Starc ended up trapping Tendulkar lbw on 8 as Australia rolled over India by an innings and 37 runs. Starc's menacing form was full on display in the Caribbean as he registered the fastest Test five-wicket haul by a bowler in history, bettering a joint record held by Ernie Toshack (v India, 1947), Stuart Broad (v Australia, 2015) and Scott Boland (v England, 2021) in 19 deliveries.


India Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- India Today
How Mitchell Starc's spell to Sachin Tendulkar showed he was destined for greatness
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has revealed how a fiery spell bowled by a young Mitchell Starc to Sachin Tendulkar early in his Test career convinced the team that the left-arm quick was destined for on The ICC Review with Sanjana Ganesan, Ponting recalled a specific moment during Starc's third Test match - against India in Perth - when the then 21-year-old pacer made the cricketing world sit up and take remember he was bowling a spell to Sachin Tendulkar and was able to bowl a short one, get up under Sachin's armpit and Sachin just sort of knocked one into short leg," Ponting said. "When you could see that sort of pace and bounce and have someone like Sachin not be able to cope with it, I think that was the reassurance for all of us that there was probably something extra special there for Mitchell Starc." Starc had made his first-class debut for New South Wales in 2009 at the age of 19, and earned his Baggy Green within two years - a rapid rise that hinted at his rare potential. Sixteen years and 292 international matches later, Starc has not only lived up to that early promise but firmly established himself as one of the premier fast bowlers to play 100 Test matches."He's really now stacking up an amazing career - over 400 Test match wickets," Ponting noted. "I think everyone who laid eyes on him as a youngster understood that there was every possibility he could be a 100-Test match, 400 or 500-wicket fast bowler for Australia."He's got to be 6'5". He's always had pace on his side - consistently bowling in the high 140s, even touching 150 km/h. He's always had the ability to swing the new ball back into the right-handers."Ponting also highlighted the longevity of Starc's career, crediting the fast bowler for making disciplined decisions that prioritised international cricket - including opting out of the Indian Premier League at various points to manage his workload."He's made a lot of decisions to give himself the best opportunity for a long-term international career," Ponting said. "He's stepped away from IPL tournaments when bigger commitments with Australia were on the horizon."Beyond raw pace, it's Starc's evolution that has impressed Ponting most. In recent years, the 35-year-old has added subtle variations to his bowling - including a three-quarter seam delivery that has made his trademark inswinger more threatening and his overall repertoire more versatile."He's got better and better," Ponting said. "Skill-wise and mentally, I think he understands his body, understands his game probably better than ever."advertisementPonting also pointed to the small, personal routines Starc has adopted to maintain his mental focus - including a strip of tape on his non-bowling wrist with motivational words as a constant reminder of his mindset and approach."He wears a bit of tape on his right wrist. He's just got a couple of words on it - reminders of what he has to do and how he has to think about it mentally," Ponting said. "Those little things, I think, are things you learn along the way with experience."Despite niggles that come with the territory of fast bowling, Starc continues to push through - a reflection of his resilience and dedication to the national team."He's physically going along as well as ever. He's always had those little niggles like all fast bowlers do, but he finds a way to push through them. He plays games out with niggles, and that's why he's standing there now with over 400 Test wickets to his name."Starc's international rsum is among the most decorated in the modern game - a two-time ODI World Cup winner, T20 World Cup champion, World Test Championship winner, and a man with 725 wickets across formats.- Ends advertisement