The opening Test match of the Ashes 2023 didn’t go down as planned by the Ben Stokes-led England cricket team. Ben Stokes declared their innings at 393 runs on the first day and this move by him backfired badly as Australia managed to win the game by two wickets on Day 5.
Riding on the fighting knock of Usman Khawaja and a brilliant match-winning knock from captain Pat Cummins down the order the Australian cricket team chased the target and won the game.
Following Australia’s big win, several cricketers and experts came forward to question the tactics and mindset of Ben Stokes. The latest one to join the bandwagon is former Australian captain Ricky Ponting also gave his take on the game.
Ricky Ponting Questioned England’s Bazball Approach In Ashes 2023
Ponting questioned whether or not England is true to their mantra of not being result-driven. His question came after Stokes admitted feeling devastated after the defeat. Speaking on the ICC Review Podcast, Ricky Ponting said:
“I’ve heard them say that before, that they’re not ‘results driven’, but I don’t believe that for a second, this is an Ashes series; this is the biggest challenge that Ben Stokes has had in his career as a captain,”
He added:
“I’m not copping that. I mean, if they’re not results driven, they wouldn’t be disappointed at all about losing. And it seemed to me last night; and he said it, that all his players were in pieces at the end of that game. So that means to me that they do care about losing, and you should,”
Further, Ponting also touched upon how winning a Test match is not easy, especially in a game of Ashes. He opined that England was in full control of the game on Day 1 but they let it go and Australia got most of that opportunity.
He said:
“Winning Test matches is not an easy thing to do, and winning an Ashes Test is not easy. You don’t want to be giving good cricket teams opportunities back into a game of Ashes cricket when you’re in control of the game. England were in control of the game late on day one. So England presented Australia with an opportunity, and Australia made the most of it,”
