India vs Australia | Umpires did not need to intervene in Kohli-Paine banter, says Ricky Ponting

12/18/2018

Ricky Ponting played down speculation regarding the on-field incident that involved two captains - Virat Kohli and Tim Paine as healthy banter in which the umpires should not have intervened. Ponting also lavished praise on Nathan Lyon who helped dismiss Kohli in the second Test in Perth.

India succumbed to a 146-run defeat in the second Test match at Perth as the home team levelled the ongoing series 1-1 on Monday. The hosts looked in control for the most part of the match and much of the credit was due to the impressive leadership skills of Tim Paine who led from the front as he went up against Virat Kohli while batting at the crease.

And former Australian captain Ricky Ponting lauded Paine’s efforts while also pointing out that the incident involving the two opposing captains was just harmless banter and nothing else. Ponting further added that there was no need for the on-field umpires to intervene in the conversation between Kohli and Paine.

"I think Tim stood up manfully. He stood up for himself late last night, he stood up for his team and more importantly he got some vital runs and really led the way.

"A lot of the banter we've heard since has been quite funny. I know the umpires got involved but they probably didn't need to. It was a conversation, a bit of banter between the two captains and whatever we heard today has been pretty lighthearted and quite funny at times," Ponting told cricket.com.

In addition to Paine, Ponting went on to lavish praise on another Australian cricketer - Nathan Lyon. The 31-year old spinner picked up a fifer in the first innings which also included the crucial wicket of Virat Kohli.

"He's hardly had a bad series in long period of time. Five hundred first-class wickets now, he's got Virat Kohli out more than any other bowler in Test cricket and to me now he just seems like he's getting better and better. His control is better, the ball is coming out of his hand perfectly, and he's a lot smarter.

"He knows how he's trying to get guys out. I had a chat with him the morning of day three when Kohli was 82 not out overnight and he said 'I just think I bowled a little bit straight to him. I need to bowl a fraction wider and challenge the outside edge of his bat a little bit more'. And guess how he got him out today? That exact way. It's one thing to be able to think about it, another thing to be able to execute it and he's doing both those things really well," the world cup winning captain added.

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India vs Australia | Umpires did not need to intervene in Kohli-Paine banter, says Ricky Ponting

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