Ricky Ponting forced to address ugly Joe Root claim amid Ashes drama
The former Aussie skipper has had to explain to Joe Root that he does indeed rate his ability highly - despite a history of criticism.
Ricky Ponting says he has taken it upon himself to clear the air with Joe Root regarding his opinion of the former English skipper as a player, after word got back to him that Root believed Ponting 'didn't rate him'. While it's been a somewhat acrimonious Ashes series at times, with Ponting often in the middle of it, the former Aussie skipper met with Root in person to let him know that does hold the Englishman his high regard.
The constant rain delays during the fourth Test at Old Trafford gave Ponting, now in a commentary role, ample opportunity to discuss a variety of topics - with Root being one of them. He said he'd been left taken aback after England coach Brendon McCullum had informed him earlier in the series that Root believed Ponting didn't have a high opinion of him as a player.
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When you look back through some of Ponting's commentary highlights over the years, it is perhaps understandable why Root could have come to such a conclusion. Ponting was quick to reiterate that Root, who boasts more than 11,000 Test runs, is absolutely on the level of the likes of fellow modern greats in Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson and Steve Smith - loathe as many Aussie fans may be to admit it.
On commentary during the rain delay, Ponting told of how Root believed he had never said a kind word about him as a broadcaster, and he may have a case to argue. Ponting has long been sharply critical of Root, even in this Ashes series when he suggested Root had failed to live up to his reputation in the years preceding the England batter's first Test century in two years.
While the long-running triple figures drought was somewhat unbecoming of a player of Root's pedigree, Ponting was unsparing in the wake of Root's memorable first innings century in the first Test at Edgbaston, which he then followed with a swashbuckling 46 in the second innings. That second innings knock was best remembered for Ponting's amusing exchange with an effusive Kevin Pietersen soon after Root lost his wicket.
“I do not think he has been underrated because I do not think he has actually probably fulfilled his full potential until the last two years,” Ponting said during the first Test. “He has never scored a hundred in Australia, but his last two years have … elevated him from being a very, very good player to one of the great players.
“He has added some shots to his repertoire, which I did not think he would be able to do. Reverse sweeping Pat Cummins’ first ball of a day in a Test match at the start of day four was something I did not think I would see.”
Ricky Ponting's history of Joe Root criticism
However Ponting's criticism dates back much further, to before Ben Stokes inherited the captaincy from Root in April of 2022. During the Ashes series in Australia during the summer of 2021-22, Ponting suggested Root had been unable to get through to his bowling attack as Australia's batting lineup feasted on short-pitched bowling, after Root called for his bowlers to be 'a bit braver' and pitch the ball a bit fuller.
“I nearly fell off my seat when I heard that,” Ponting said. “Whose job is it then to make them change? Why are you captain then? If you can’t influence your bowlers on what length to bowl, what are you doing on the field?
“Joe Root can come back and say whatever he likes but if you’re captain, you’ve got to be able to sense when your bowlers aren’t bowling where you want them to. That’s what captaincy is all about.”
He also suggested a brief period in which Stokes was calling the shots while Root was off the ground had resulted in an immediate effect. “The interesting thing for me is the only time they bowled full in the game was when Joe Root wasn’t on the ground,” Ponting said. “The start of day four when they had a meeting on the ground before play started, Stokes took over the captaincy, and that was the only time in the game they pitched the ball up.”
And back in 2017, Ponting made perhaps his most disrespectful comments - labelling Root a 'little boy' during another series win for Australia. He said Root was 'soft' and looked lost when answering questions about the game.
“The way he answered a lot of the questions after the game last week seemed almost like a little boy. You need to be more than that as a leader, especially when things aren’t going well. It just looks like it has been a little bit soft,” Ponting said.
It remains to be seen whether Root has taken Ponting at his word as far as his opinion of him as a cricketer. What can't be denied is Root's tally of 11,320 Test runs to date, as well as his long-held position in the top 10 rankings of Test batters, even with his century drought.
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