'You're basically a sitting duck when you are waiting for good bowlers to make mistake' - Ricky Ponting gets harsh on Australian batters

India and Australia were up for the second Test match of the series at Melbourne, and day four couldn’t have been better for India. India won the Boxing Day Test by eight wickets in great style to bury the memories of the Adelaide Test. In the same line, assistant Australian coach Ricky Ponting stated that it had been purely a dismal batting show from their side, and there was nothing wrong with the pitch.

Aussies were bowled out for a below-par score of 295 runs in the first innings. Their lot waited for a better show in the second innings, but Indian bowlers didn’t let them have even a moment where they could dominate. Their second innings show ended on just 200 runs and India only had 70 runs on the table to chase.

It’s just been poor batting: Ricky Ponting

“You can’t blame the pitch. The pitch has been absolutely perfect today. It’s a little bit of spin, yes, but you’d expect that. Day three of a Test Match. Very little on offer for the fast bowlers, but it’s just been poor batting. Very, very poor batting so far. It’s been one of the reasons, I think, that they’ve eventually got themselves out, playing rash shots. They haven’t been able to tick the scoreboard over on a regular enough basis. Pressure builds. When pressure builds, bad shots come,” said Ponting while speaking to Channel seven.

It remained a big concern for Australia lot as their mainstay Steve Smith wasn’t able to score in both the Tests. Also, hosts saw a grim record coming in their account, which stated that it was the first instance since 1988, wherein none of the batsmen could even bring a half-century in a home Test. Ponting added that their batters should show some intent towards the likes of Ravindra Jadeja, Ravi Ashwin, and Jasprit Bumrah, even it means taking a risk.

“They’ve actually forced the Australian batsman into making mistakes. When you’re just sitting there waiting for good bowlers to make mistakes, you’re basically a sitting duck,” Ponting concluded.