Ashes 2023: I don’t think he’s looked dangerous in the series at all – Ricky Ponting on Ollie Robinson

Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has claimed that England pacer Ollie Robinson hasn’t looked threatening to Australia in the ongoing Ashes. Robinson took a total of five wickets in the opening Test match against Australia at Edgbaston.

Furthermore, Robinson returned with figures of 3-100 in the first innings of the ongoing Lord’s Test match against Australia. Thus, he has scalped a total of eight wickets in the three innings of the series.

In fact, the 29-year-old Kent pacer has consistently bowled below 130 kmph and hasn’t troubled the opposition batters with his pace.

Ponting said in the latest edition of the ICC Review: “I don’t think he’s looked dangerous in the series at all. I mean, if you look at the wickets, he’s got the tailenders out in each game. Yes he got Marnus (Labuschagne) in this innings here. But then he got (Nathan) Lyon and then he got (Josh) Hazlewood. So if he didn’t get the 10 and 11 out, then he finishes his innings with one wicket at over four runs an over.”

The two-time World Cup-winning captain added there is no doubt that Robinson is a very skillful bowler but his off-field comments, involving Ricky Ponting himself, have been blown out of proportion.

“He’s a very skillful bowler, no doubt about that, and no one would’ve said a word about Ollie Robinson if he hadn’t have sort of instigated this whole tit-for-tat that’s been happening over the last couple of weeks. And to be honest, I think the whole thing’s been blown completely out of proportion.”

Ponting feels Robinson’s off-field comments have everyone’s attention but at the end of the day, he has done a decent job for the home team.

“It’s something that’s everyone’s enjoyed talking about, and some of the ex-players have enjoyed hopping in and having a bit of a crack, but at the end of the day he’s a skilled bowler and, as you say, his numbers so far in the series are actually okay.”

In fact, Robinson is currently the second-highest wicket-taker of the ongoing Ashes with eight scalps. Meanwhile, England finished day two with 278-4 and they trail by 138 runs after Australia posted 416 runs in the first innings.