December 12, 2024: Ricky Ponting has suggested that a cheeky comment from India’s young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal may have unintentionally fueled Mitchell Starc’s career-best performance during the second Test in Adelaide.
Jaiswal had been in superb form during the series opener in Perth, scoring a brilliant 161 runs. However, his remark about Starc “bowling too slow” seemed to spark something in the Australian pacer. While Starc responded with a wry smile at the time, he had the last laugh in Adelaide when he dismissed Jaiswal for a duck on the very first ball of the match with a superb delivery.
Ponting, speaking on The ICC Review, explained that although Starc is usually a calm and level-headed player, the remark might have ignited a fire within him. “He’s actually a pretty level-headed guy, Mitchell Starc. He doesn’t get flustered too much, even when he’s bowling now,” Ponting said. “But I think that smile on his face might be just a bit of a cover for the fire that’s burning inside.” Starc’s brilliant performance in Adelaide, where he took career-best figures of 6/48 in the first innings, helped set the tone for Australia’s dominant 10-wicket victory.
Ponting also praised the leadership of Pat Cummins and the all-round contributions of Travis Head, which led to a 1-1 series tie. “I said in the lead-up that Australia’s senior players had to really stand up and change what had happened in Perth,” Ponting noted. The series was finely poised, and Australia’s senior players did indeed respond, with Cummins and Starc playing key roles in both innings of the match.
Ponting highlighted how Starc’s performance was part of a larger team effort, particularly noting how Starc’s pace and consistency have improved over time. “He’s probably in the last couple of years been better than he’s ever been,” Ponting remarked. While Starc’s pace has slightly reduced from his peak, his consistency and ability to start spells strongly have been key to his continued success. “He’s in absolute prime now… but his consistency, the way he’s starting spells is really good now as well.”
At 34, Starc remains one of the most accomplished pacers in world cricket, with 692 wickets across all formats. Despite his numerous accolades, including two ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup titles (2015 and 2023), the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup (2021), and the ICC World Test Championship (2023), Starc is sometimes overlooked in discussions of the greatest bowlers of recent times. Ponting, however, was effusive in his praise, noting that Starc’s ability to adapt his game and sustain his performance across formats sets him apart.
Ponting also acknowledged that Starc’s record with the pink ball, particularly in Adelaide, might be influenced by its similarities to the white ball, with which Starc has had remarkable success. “His pink-ball record speaks for itself,” Ponting said. “And I think the reason why his pink ball record is so good is I think the pink ball actually performs very similar to the white ball.”
Looking ahead, Ponting suggested that Starc, along with fellow fast bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, could continue to be a formidable trio for a few more years. With the series now tied at 1-1, all eyes turn to the Gabba for the third Test, where both teams will battle not only for the series but also for a spot in the World Test Championship Final.
