Ricky Ponting lauds ‘outstanding’ Mitchell Starc for his heroics in second Test against India

Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting showered praise on Mitchell Starc for his heroics in the second pink-ball Test against India, which the hosts won convincingly by 10 wickets. Starc returned with career-best figures of 6-48 in the first innings to help the home team skittle out the visitors at 180. The experienced pacer also bagged two wickets in the second innings.

The left-arm seamer plumbed Yashasvi Jaiswal on the first ball of the second Test, which Ponting feels set the tone for the whole game. Jaiswal scored a match-winning knock of 161 runs in the opening Test at Perth but he was dismissed by Starc on blob.

The Indian opener had also taken a dig at Mitchell Starc in the second innings of the opening Test, saying ‘It’s coming too slow’. Ponting reckons it would have fired Starc to give his best in the second Test.

“He’s actually a pretty level-headed guy, Mitchell Starc. He doesn’t get flustered too much, even when you see him bowling now. And if one of the batters does happen to say something, he generally responds with a little smile on his face. But I think that smile on his face might be just a bit of a cover for the fire that’s burning inside. Look, he bowled beautifully in Adelaide didn’t he,” Ponting said on the latest edition of the ICC Review.

Ponting also hailed Pat Cummins for leading from the front. Cummins returned with figures of 5-57 in the second innings to deliver the goods in Adelaide. 

“Starc takes a wicket first ball, happens to beat Jaiswal that had made 160 in the last innings he played against Australia. And that really set the tone for the whole Test match. I thought Starc was outstanding. Career-best figures 6/48 in the first innings and then the captain (Cummins) comes into his own in the second innings and leads the way with the ball in the second innings. So lots of really good signs,” he added

Ponting added that Starc has been bowling better in the last couple of years than he has ever bowled and deserves all the credit.

“He certainly deserves high praise. I mean, he’s probably in the last couple of years been better than he’s ever been. And the reason that I say that is I think he’s a more consistent bowler now than he’s ever been before, yet his pace is still about the same as it always was. I mean, he could bowl over 150km/h probably a few years ago and he’s in absolute prime now. He’s sort of operating in the mid-140s, but his consistency, the way he’s starting spells is really good now as well,” Ponting said in the same interaction.

The third Test match between India and Australia will be played at the Gabba, Brisbane from December 14.