Collapse against West Indies a wake-up call, says Ricky Ponting
Despite Australia registering a 15-run win, there was no doubt that the West Indies dismantled the Australian batsmen with their brutal bouncers. After looking at the way batsmen tackled Windies bowling attack, Australia assistant coach Ricky Ponting is looking forward to seeking answers.
Usman Khawaja, who was forced to retire hurt during the practice match after West Indies' all-rounder Andre Russell's bouncer hit his helmet, continued to flounder as he was again struck and later Russell sent him back to the pavilion.
"I've got some notes written in my book about that exact thing. I just want to know what's going through his mind. For me, being back involved in the team now, I want to understand what they are thinking about at different times. It's not always just about the execution, it's about what's going inside your mind that causes the poor shots," Cricket.com.au quoted Ponting as saying.
West Indies dangerous bowling attack brought the game to a point where Australia was at 38 for the loss of four wickets.
Apart from Khawaja, it was Glenn Maxwell who was stumbled by the West Indies' bowling attack. Maxwell tried a hook shot off just his second ball but gave away an easy catch which sent him back to the pavilion on a duck.
"It's a bit of an uncharacteristic shot from (Maxwell) as well, he's not a natural hooker and puller of the ball anyway. These are the things I want to ask him about as well when we finish up tonight, just get inside their heads a little bit," he said.
Ponting is considering this as a wake-up call and hoping for his side to bounce back.
"It could very well be...a wake-up call. Just understanding that if you are under pressure in big games like World Cup games, finding a mechanism or a way to get through (is important). It's just a little bit of a blip in the radar that we'll have a chat about and make sure we're prepared for the next game," Ponting said.
Australia will now face India on June 9.
(With inputs from ANI)
