Ricky Ponting didn’t hold back when asked how he might’ve responded to Akash Deep’s fiery send-off of Ben Duckett during the second day of the fifth Test between India and England at The Oval.
Reflecting on the incident, the former Australian skipper said he would have struggled to keep his cool in the same situation.
“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," said Sky Sports presenter Ian Ward.
"That would have been a Ponting right hook, wouldn't it?"
Ricky Ponting didn’t hold back when asked how he might’ve responded to Akash Deep’s fiery send-off of Ben Duckett during the second day of the fifth Test between India and England at The Oval
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“Probably yeah, probably,” Ponting replied with a grin.
The moment unfolded after a heated exchange between Duckett and Deep.
The England opener, looking to get under the bowler’s skin, taunted him mid-over by saying, “You cannot get me out in here.”
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Akash didn’t respond verbally - but he had the last word. Just a few deliveries later, he dismissed Duckett for 43 with a sharp ball that found the edge, caught behind by wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel.
The India star followed it up with a cheeky send-off, which some former players viewed as overly provocative - especially in the context of a fiercely competitive Test series.
Despite joking about his own reaction, Ponting praised Duckett for handling the situation maturely.
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"I love the way Ben Duckett plays his cricket, I think I like him even more now!"
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 1, 2025
Ricky Ponting has his say on Akash Deep's send-off to Ben Duckett 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/iuQ7yiqv5h
“Although I mean, when I saw it, I just thought they must have been mates or played against each other somewhere or together," he said.
"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.”
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The second day saw England take early control after bowling India out for 224 in the morning.
Duckett and Zak Crawley came out with intent, attacking the Indian bowling attack and putting on 92 runs for the first wicket before Akash Deep broke through.
Ben Duckett and Akash Deep exchanged verbals during day two of England's clash with India
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It wasn’t the only flashpoint of the session, however.
Prasidh Krishna also made headlines for an aggressive exchange with Joe Root earlier in the innings, adding to the intensity of a day already charged with emotion.