Ashes 2023: I think he feels like he’s probably not quite at his best right now – Ricky Ponting backs James Anderson to bounce back to form

Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has put his weight behind veteran James Anderson to bounce back to form in the ongoing Ashes against Australia. Anderson has failed to find his rhythm in the ongoing series against the arch-rivals after coming back from injury.

In fact, the talisman had scalped a solitary wicket in the opening Test match at Edgbaston, Birmingham, which England lost by two wickets. Anderson had later admitted that wickets like Edgbaston are his kryptonite as there was hardly any help for the fast bowlers.

However, Anderson also failed to make an impact in the first innings of the ongoing second Test at Lord’s. The veteran pacer could only take a wicket of Mitchell Starc in the first essay and returned with figures of 1-53 in the 20 overs he bowled. In fact, the overcast conditions were ideal for seam bowling when Ben Stokes decided to bowl first but Anderson failed to hit the stripes.

Ponting said in the latest edition of the ICC Review: “You never write off champions. That’s one thing I know about the game. James Anderson has been a champion of the game and will continue to be until he wants to pull up stumps. Skill-wise, it still looks like it’s all there. But I think he, within himself, feels like he’s probably not quite at his best right now.”

On the other hand, Australia decided to bring in Mitchell Starc in place of Scott Boland, who could only take two wickets and was also expensive in the opening Test against England. In fact, Boland was at his best in the WTC final against India as he had taken five wickets. Ponting reckons Lord’s conditions would have suited Scott Boland better than Mitchell Starc.

“I was a little bit surprised. When I turned up here and looked at this Lord’s wicket with the overcast conditions that were expected for the first couple of days, I thought that those conditions would suit Boland down to the ground as well. So, I don’t if there’s any sort of little niggle with Scott.”

Ponting continued: “To be honest with you, with Starc in this game so far, he has got the ball to swing a little bit, which is what they want to see from him. But all I’ll say is I was surprised that they made the change.”

On the other hand, Mitchell Starc had figures of 1-75 in the 12 overs he bowled on the second day’s play against England and thus conceded his runs at a high economy rate of 6.20. England finished with 278-4 on the second day and the hosts are in arrears by 138 runs to Australia’s first innings score of 416 runs.