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A Ponting Right Hook: Former Australia Captain Reacts To Akash Deep's Ben Duckett Send-Off
Follow UsDuckett was the only wicket Akash Deep picked up in the first innings
Ben Duckett played an aggressive innings against India on Day 2 of The Oval Test on August 1 (Friday), where he scored 43 off just 38 deliveries to give England a brisk start. After he edged one to the wicketkeeper off Akash Deep, the bowler wrapped his arm around Duckett's shoulders as he walked off.
Duckett did not take too kindly to it, as his expression suggested. Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting says that he would have punched the bowler if anyone did the same to him.
"I can think of a few batsmen down the years that would take umbrage at this, and I'm looking very much in your direction. That would have been a Ponting right hook, wouldn't it?" Sky Sports host Ian Ward asked Ponting.
Ponting responded affirmatively, stating, "Probably yeah, probably."
Ponting further added that he has more respect for Duckett after the way he reacted to it.
"When I saw it, I just thought they must have been mates or played against each other somewhere or together. I would like to have something like that. I mean, you don't see that every day, maybe in a local park game or not in a test match that's been played as fiercely as this series has been played. I love the way that Ben Duckett plays his cricket. I think I like him more now to not to be able to react to that," Ponting said.
Duckett's knock allowed England to put up 92 inside 13 overs, but were eventually bowled out for 247, taking a first-innings lead of 23 runs.
India ended the day on 75/2, with a lead of 52 runs, with Yashasvi Jaiswal unbeaten on 51.