Ricky Ponting in savage shut down of Kevin Pietersen in live Ashes moment

Ricky Ponting has once again reminded Aussie and English fans why he was the ultimate competitor after shutting down Kevin Pietersen with a candid one-liner during a live broadcast on day 4 of the Ashes. The always divisive Pietersen was left enthralled at Joe Root's dynamic batting approach, which saw the No.4 praised for carrying out his aggressive style even when England were 2-28 to start day 4.

Root hit ramp shots off Pat Cummins and Scott Boland to start the days play, before he quickly raced away to 46 runs. The former England captain has embraced the 'Bazball' era implemented under Ben Stokes and Brendan McCullum's leadership.

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The No.4 was then dismissed when he was stumped for the first time in his career off Nathan Lyon's bowling. While Root helped England build a quick lead, his wicket also left them in a precarious position at lunch with the game in the balance at 5-155.

And Pietersen's excitement carried over from the commentary box down to the sideline during the lunch break. Pietersen was full of praise for Root and continued his superlatives for the batter.

"What was brilliant this morning was Joe Root. He just owned the game, he just ran the game," Pietersen said on Sky Sports. "He was pure quality and he had this lot scratching their heads going 'what do we do,'" he added.

However, Ponting interjected and appeared flabbergasted with Pietersen's ongoing praise. "Well he is out now, he got 40," Ponting said with his trademark dry sense of humour. "Let's move on," Ponting said to some laughs.

While Root managed 46, you could be mistaken thinking he scored another century the way Pietersen was praising the batter. However, Root has been England's best batter in the first test at Edgbaston with a superb unbeaten 118 runs off 152 balls in the first innings.

The only other player to reach triple figures has been Aussie Usman Khawaja who remains in for Australia on the final day. Regardless, fans were left in stitches at Ponting's shut down of his former rival Pietersen on live television.

Kevin Pietersen lauds Joe Root's influence

To be fair to Pietersen he wasn't the only one lauding Root's influence on the game on day 4. There was drama aplenty from the very first ball on day four as Root decided to try and reverse ramp Aussie captain Pat Cummins over the boundary in scenes that left viewers in utter disbelief.

“I’m not sure I’ve ever seen that in Test cricket,” England great Pietersen said in commentary. Root was unsuccessful on the first occasion but employed the tactic again moments later in the opening session, and to devastating effect.

In scenes that perhaps best exemplified England's aggressive 'Bazball' approach, Root once again turned to the ramp shot to hit the normally economical Scott Boland for consecutive boundaries. The first, Root scooped over the top for six, before sending the second rolling into the boundary rope.

The swashbuckling display of batting from Root left the cricket world in a frenzy as former players and fans alike, discussed the audacity of attempting to reverse ramp one of the best bowlers in the world, off the very first ball of the day.

Regardless, the match is still delicately poised as Australia seek to chase down 174 runs on the final day with seven wickets in hand.

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