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Ricky Ponting feels Sam Konstas did not need to jump in between two senior players like Jasprit Bumrah and Usman Khawaja.
Jasprit Bumrah’s aggressive celebration after Usman Khawaja’s wicket goes viral. (Picture Credit: Screengrab, AP)
Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting has slammed Sam Konstas for getting himself involved in a verbal spat between Jasprit Bumrah and Usman Khawaja. The Indian fast-bowler and Khawaja had a heated exchange over time-wasting during the final over of play on Day 1 of the Sydney Test. Tensions escalated when Konstas aimed a few words at Bumrah. Throwing some light on the verbal duels, Ponting claimed there was no need for Konstas to jump into the matter between the two senior cricketers. “I didn’t like Konstas getting involved. That was not his battle to fight. It was between Khawaja and Bumrah,” he told 7Cricket, as per Yahoo News.
Ricky Ponting hoped there was a dressing room discussion about the brief altercation after the play ended on Day 1. “For the young man there, I hope that there was some talking to from the Australian dressing room last night because he should have stayed out of that, let his senior player handle the last couple of balls,” he said. Ponting also emphasised how making Jasprit Bumrah angry wouldn’t be the brightest thing to do in the ongoing Test. “One guy you don’t want to upset is Jasprit Bumrah,” he said. “The way he’s bowled and the fact he has got Khawaja out five times in the series,” the retired skipper added.
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Ricky Ponting further claimed he wasn’t a fan of time-wasting tactics in cricket. “I never like playing around with a game of cricket like that,” he said. “It has a way of coming back and biting you time after time. They tried their best to take time out of the game. And this is what has happened as a result,” Ponting concluded.
The time-wasting tactic ultimately proved fatal for Australia as Jasprit Bumrah scalped Usman Khawaja’s wicket on the final delivery on Day 1. It was only the beginning of a dominant bowling display from India that saw them dismiss the hosts for 181 runs on Day 2.
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In their second innings, India struggled to deliver with the bat at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Virat Kohli was dismissed for six runs whereas KL Rahul and Shubman Gill scored 13 each. Rishabh Pant charged at Australia’s bowling attack with a quick-fire 33-ball 61 but was eventually dismissed by Pat Cummins in the 23rd over.
Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar will resume India’s second innings on Day 3 in Sydney. India currently leads Australia by 145 runs.
- Location :
Sydney, Australia
