'Back It Up With Your Skills': Ricky Ponting Hits Back At Ollie Robinson After Outburst With Usman Khawaja
Robinson was the talk of the town at Edgbaston (AP Photo)
While cricket took centre stage during the first Ashes 2023 Test between England and Australia, much off-the-field chatter has been around Ollie Robinson. Robinson, who after giving an ugly send-off to Usman Khawaja on Day 3, justified his actions in the presser, by citing former Australian captain Ricky Ponting's behaviour on the field.
Ponting during his playing days, gained a reputation for being aggressive and indulging in sledging, something that past Australian teams excelled in. The former World Cup-winning captain did reply to Robinson while commentating during the Edgbaston Test but did not say much.
Now, in an interview with ICC Review Podcast, Ponting has hit back at the England pacer asking the bowler to back his verbal banter with on-field skills against an in-form Australian side.
Here's what Ponting said:
"Some of the things he had to say - I mean he even brought my name into it, which I felt was a little bit unusual. But for me, it's water off a duck's back. If he is sitting back thinking about me, then no wonder he bowled like the way that he did in that game, if he's worried about what I did 15 years ago."
"He'll learn pretty quickly that if you're going to talk to Australian cricketers in an Ashes series, then you want to be able to back it up with your skills."
Talking about the whole Robinson incident on Day 3, Khawaja, said that he failed to hear the abuse, and then dwelled about the friendly banter on Day 5.
"The other day, the crowd was so loud I had no idea. I got out and all I could hear was the Barmy Army. I didn't actually hear anything. Today there was nothing much in it. Just a bit of friendly banter."
With a lead of 1-0, Australia will look to clinch the second Test at Lord's as well that starts on June 28.
 "Vishal Mehra")
