Ashes 2021 LIVE: Ricky Ponting advices World No.1 Test batsman Joe Root- Australia great Ricky Ponting has given a blueprint for under pressure Joe Root ahead of England’s second innings in Adelaide Pink-ball Test. The development comes as England captain once again failed to convert his fifty into a big hundred. He has asked Joe Root to look to Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne to sharpen his focus in the middle. He also warned Root to avoid pressure while batting as it can only rise with upcoming innings. Follow Ashes 2021 live updates on InsideSport.IN
Ashes 2021 LIVE: Ricky Ponting gives a mental blueprint to under pressure Joe Root as England captain’s century jinx in Australia continues
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“It’s got to be a mental thing. There’s no technical error in his last two dismissals that has led to him getting out. It’s got to be him being not quite switched on enough for the ball he’s got out to. Marnus and Smith are really good examples of how they can find a way to be so switched on for so long,” Ricky Ponting said as quoted by Cricket Australia.
“It is a concentration thing with Joe and captaincy probably doesn’t help either, (spending) long periods of time in the field when your team is not going so well. They haven’t gone so well of late with their Test results. All of those things take a toll on you. He spent one and three quarters of a day in the field before he went into bat,” he added.
- In the last 20 Test innings in Australia, Joe Root has scored 8 fifties but failed to convert them into centuries.
- Joe Root might have missed on tons but continues to dominate World No.1 Test batting ranking with most runs in 2021.
- Marnus Labuschagne & Steve Smith are placed second and third in the latest ICC Test Rankings.
- Root got caught out (outside edge) to Cameron Green twice in the last three dismissals. Ponting feels that the England skipper should not have played those balls.
Ponting, who predicted England’s whitewash against Australia, warned Root will take selection missteps ahead of Boxing Day Test.
“It will get tougher because the noise will get louder around their team. The selection noise will get louder. The fact they haven’t played a specialist spinner, knowing what Nathan Lyon has done in the past, that’s got to be a huge blue,” Ponting stated further.
“They’ll be doubting pretty much everything they do. If they lose here there will be more pressure on selections (with England thinking) ‘Did we get it right? Did we get it wrong? Who do we play in Melbourne?’ he signed off.
England are winless in the last 11 Tests in Australia, including a draw.
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Ashes 2021 LIVE: Ricky Ponting gives mental blueprint to under pressure Joe Root as England captain’s century jinx in Australia continues
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