"Nasser never played in a winning Ashes team," Ponting's comeback on outnumbered commentary box
Jul 26, 2023
London [UK], July 26 : After being outnumbered in the commentary box during the ongoing Ashes series, former Australian captain Ricky Ponting said that he has “plenty of ammunition” to throw back at the English commentators, like "Nasser never played in an Ashes-winning team".
On the Sky Sports panel, only three commentators, including former Australia captains Mark Taylor and Ponting, as well as ex-Australia women's cricketer Mel Jones, have found themselves outnumbered by a large group of ex-English players.
Ponting discussed the off-field banter within the WhatsApp group for commentators with host Sanjana Ganesan on the latest episode of The ICC Review and said he has been holding his own despite the lack of support.
“(I have) got plenty of ammunition to come back with,” Ponting laughingly said as quoted by ICC.
“Nasser (Hussain) has never won and never played in a winning Ashes team, Ashes series team. Mike Atherton might have even been the same, I'm not sure with that. I've got plenty of ammunition to throw back, it's just that I'm outnumbered all the time and I've got to make sure I've got plenty of good stuff.”
“I'm a man of few words until I get pricked and poked enough and then I have to come out and defend myself or defend my country,” Ponting said.
"There's only been Mark Taylor and I as the only Aussies that have been in the commentary box, although Mel Jones was there for the first couple of games. So we've been heavily outnumbered, there's no doubt about that."
Former Australian players jokingly said that as English players were not happy because they couldn't get back out, there was the same feeling in the commentary box.
“You reckon the English players were not happy that they couldn't get back out (on to the field). Well the same feeling was bouncing around the commentary box and all sorts of accusations made at me for doing rain dances and everything," Ponting said.
“So look, I think I'm pretty good at holding my own. I mean, the point with this as well is I think everyone, everyone sort of spectator wise, and I think even to a certain degree in the commentary box is almost like everyone thinks I'm still playing, still part of the team, and it means as much to me now as when I played," he concluded.
