Published: Dec 26, 2020, 05:26 PM (IST)
Edited: Dec 26, 2020, 05:26 PM (IST)
Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting heaped huge praise on Ajinkya Rahane’s captaincy skills and claims his field placements and bowling changes were spot-on during first innings of Boxing Day Test.
Rahane is leading the Indian team in the ongoing Boxing Day Test against Australia in the absence of regular skipper Virat Kohli, who has returned to India for the birth of his first child.
The Mumbaikar impressed many with his leadership quality on Day 1 as he backed his bowlers with tight field placements, as India bowled out Australia for just 195 in first innings.
Ponting said he was worried about Team India after the humiliating defeat in Pink-Ball Test and claims the visitors looked “potentially better today” under the leadership of Rahane.
“(Rahane’s captaincy) has been brilliant so far,” Ponting told cricket.com.au.
“We were all a bit worried about how they were going to pick themselves up after Adelaide. I think they looked potentially better today (under Rahane’s leadership).”
Ponting further said that Indian bowlers also executed well to the plan as Rahane was spot on with his field placements and bowling changes.
“Rahane’s field placements, bowling changes have all been pretty much spot on. With captaincy, making bowling changes and changing the field, you need guys to be able to execute well,” he added.
The legendary Australia skipper also talked about how Indian bowlers set-up crucial wickets of Australian batsmen including Steve Smith’s at leg-slip by Ravichandran Ashwin.
“Some of the wickets they got today, even Smith at leg slip early on, I think that was a set plan. Joe Burns’ dismissal would have been exactly how they wanted it.
“Cam Green was set up today as well Siraj bowled some really good outswingers to him then bowled an inswinger back down the line that trapped him in front. I think there’s been a lot of planning that’s gone into it and Rahane should take a lot of credit for that,” Ponting said.
Ponting, who spent time with Rahane at Delhi Capitals in IPL 2020 said the Mumbaikar works exceptionally hard on his own game.
“We had him at Delhi this year (in the IPL). He’s a very smart cricketer, he’s a terrific bloke, works exceptionally hard on his own game but it just seems today the Indian boys have got right in behind him and they’re working for each other which is always good to see,” Ponting added.
