The Ashes 2025-26 may still be months away, but the pitch talk has already started.
A cheeky remark from Ricky Ponting about “not speaking to the groundsman” has got everyone wondering.
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The debate comes right after recent noise about pitch preparation during England’s last series against India, and just months before the Ashes kicks off in Brisbane on November 21.
Why is pitch preparation suddenly a hot topic?
The chatter began after an incident at The Oval earlier this year, where England coach Brendon McCullum and India Coach Gautam Gambhir were both spotted speaking to head groundsman Lee Curtis before the fifth Test against India.
The pitch there ended up looking more like a classic English track compared to the flatter, batter-friendly surfaces used earlier in the series
This sparked questions on whether visiting teams or even the hosts try to have quiet words with curators to suit their plans.
With the Ashes approaching, those same questions are now being asked about England’s intentions in Australia.
What did Ricky Ponting actually say about the groundsman?
Ponting, speaking to The Times, laughed off the idea that Australia would ever request a special pitch.
“I don’t think the Aussies will be saying anything to the groundsmen. Certainly through my time I didn’t speak to the groundsman, and even my coaches didn’t speak to him. They always expected them to prepare the best wicket they could," said Ponting.
The former captain also hinted that England might prefer flatter decks for their attacking style. But in Australia, he added, pitches generally have something in them for bowlers.
"I don’t really know which way England want it. They probably play their best cricket when they’ve got flatter pitches, because that’s what they need for their batting, but in Australia they probably need something in the wickets to help their bowling,” he added.
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Can England’s Bazball style work on Australian pitches?
Ponting believes it can. He said the high-risk, high-reward batting game that England call ‘Bazball’ has already evolved since it began.
According to him, the Aussies got used to it during the last Ashes in England, and they know how to adapt.
“I’m as Aussie as anyone and I love watching the way they play. The Aussies embraced it and learnt about it the last time they were here. They’ll have an understanding now of what is a slightly more refined version of what England started a few years ago,” Ponting said.
The real question is whether England will stick with their all-out attack, or tweak it for bouncier Australian wickets. Ponting thinks they’ll hold the key if they can start strong with the bat.
“It’s the way they naturally play aggressively and it’s the way the coaches and captain want them to play. It just sets up everything for England, putting immediate pressure back on the bowlers. They probably hold the key in Australia. If they can bat really well at the top, and set things up, that will give them a good chance in the series,” said Ponting.
But the first sign of England’s strategy may only come when they step out at the Gabba on November 21, a venue famous for pace, bounce, and testing the best.