Ricky Ponting explodes at Aussies over horrendous moment
Ricky Ponting has taken an extraordinary swipe at Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon over a shocking moment at the SCG.
Once play finally got underway on Sunday after the morning session was washed out, it was more misery for the Aussies.
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The hosts lost three wickets in quick succession, with Lyon’s dismissal leaving Ponting fuming in commentary.
Lyon was adjudged LBW off the bowling of Kuldeep Yadav, but replays showed the ball probably struck him outside the line of off stump.
But inexplicably, Lyon and non-striker Starc decided not to use the DRS despite having two reviews remaining, and only two wickets in hand.
Ponting was particularly critical of Starc, who was standing too wide of the stumps at the other end to be able to give his opinion about the decision.
When Lyon asked Starc whether he should review, Starc simply shrugged his shoulders and Lyon jogged off.
“That’s slack and not desperate enough,” Ponting fumed.
“That dismissal actually says a lot to me about the mindset of this Australian team at the moment. There is no desperation there whatsoever.
“Why wouldn’t they have they had a look at it? They still have the two reviews up their sleeve. There had to be some sort of doubt there.
“Even Mitchell Starc put his head down and says ‘it is not me’ but it’s up to you to make it.
“It’s a partnership when they are together, you do whatever you can to try and save your mate. There was none of that there.”
It sounds like Punter and Kat are over the lack of game awareness and desperation of this Australian batting. @7Cricket #havetoagreewiththem
— Dean Jones (@ProfDeano) January 6, 2019
Great as always to hear Ricky Ponting telling things as they are, not sugar-coating it because he might be mates with the players. Refreshing. #7Cricket #AUSvIND
— Brad Henderson (@bradhendosports) January 6, 2019
@7Cricket really good to hear some hard truths from R. Ponting after Lyon’s dismissal. Very disappointing stuff from an Aussie perspective in this game.
— Julien (@NiceGamersTweet) January 6, 2019
Ponting is fantastic to listen to and certainly doesn’t hold back. As good as he’s been commentating, he’s of better use to Australia now in a higher up role, perhaps a selector or coaching role #AUSvIND
— Gavin (@singassportrant) January 6, 2019
The former Aussie captain has been highly critical of the Aussies throughout the fourth Test, with our batsmen failing miserably despite a flat SCG pitch that helped India amass 7d-622 in their first innings.
Aussies forced to follow on for first time in 39 years
India have enforced the follow-on as they power towards an emphatic Test series victory over Australia, snatching a first-innings lead of 322 runs after rolling the hosts for 300.
Australia haven’t been asked to follow on at home since 1988.
It’s the biggest first-innings deficit that Australia, reeling from a record three-consecutive declarations this series, have given up at the famed venue since 1936.
Showers provided a good deal more resistance than many of Australia’s batsmen, washing out Sunday’s morning session.
Play, delayed because of both bad light and rain, started at 1:49pm on day four.
Australia, resuming at 6-236, quickly lost 3-22 a day after their top order folded in a collapse of 3-24.
Starc and Josh Hazlewood, who was dropped on zero, combined for a final-wicket stand of 42 that spanned 14 overs but only delayed the inevitable.
Recalled tweaker Kuldeep Yadav finished with figures of 5-99.
Left-arm spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Yadav did the bulk of the damage on day three, but it was quicks Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah who made early inroads with the second new ball.
Shami’s third ball of the day kept low and scooted underneath Pat Cummins’ bat, uprooting off stump.
Bumrah needed just four balls at Peter Handscomb to remove the recalled batsman for 37, tempting him to play a delivery outside off that took the inside edge and dislodged the bails.
Yadav trapped NLyon lbw for a fifth-ball duck then could have been denied a five-wicket haul when Hanuma Vihari offered Hazlewood a life in the following over.
Yadav eventually had his man and ended the innings, trapping Hazlewood lbw with a wrong’un.
with AAP