Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has raised concerns about England’s bowling lineup for the Ashes 2023 series, which begins on June 16. England opted for veteran Test pacer Stuart Broad over Chris Woakes for their playing XI in the first Test. With reports suggesting that England will be focusing on flatter tracks and smaller boundaries to support their bazball approach, Ponting warned England that this tactic could backfire on them.
Ponting cautioned that if England does choose flat wickets, he would be worried about how they’re going to get 20 Australian wickets a game. With Jofra Archer and their number one spinner Jack Leach missing, Ponting questioned whether Broad, James Anderson, and Ollie Robinson would be able to have a huge impact on the series.
England’s bazball approach, associated with the captain and coach duo of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, has resulted in an impressive run rate of 4.65 in fourteen Tests. Ponting’s warning highlights the importance of a balanced approach to team composition and a reliance on flat tracks and smaller boundaries that may not favor the strengths of the current English bowling lineup.
England and Australia’s rivalry in the Ashes is one of the most storied in cricket history, and both teams will be looking to assert their dominance in the coming weeks. It remains to be seen whether England’s approach will pay off, or if their bowling lineup will struggle to contain Australia’s batsmen on flat tracks with smaller boundaries.
