If you’re going to talk, back it up: Ponting

England seamer Robinson was questioned for a send-off of Usman Khawaja during Australia’s two-wicket win in Birmingham, with the 29-year-old also not shy in coming forward with his media opportunities before and during the Test.

When questioned on his behaviour towards Khawaja after dismissing him for 140 in the first innings, Robinson said: “We’ve all seen Ricky Ponting, other Aussies do the same to us. Just because the shoe is on the other foot, it’s not received well.”

And, speaking on The ICC Review with Sanjana Ganesan after the first Test, Ponting says Robinson might be better placed focusing on his own performance rather than looking back at Ashes history.

“As I said after Ollie Robinson said what he said, this England cricket team hasn't played against Australia and they'll find out pretty quickly what playing Ashes cricket and playing against a good Australian cricket team is all about,” Ponting told The ICC Review podcast, exclusively.

“And if Ollie Robinson hasn't learned that already after last week, then he's a slow learner.

“Some of the things he had to say - I mean he even brought my name into it, which I felt was a little bit unusual but for me it’s water off a duck's back - if he is sitting back thinking about me, then no wonder he bowled like the way that he did in that game, if he's worried about what I did 15 years ago.

“He'll learn pretty quickly that if you're going to talk to Australian cricketers in an Ashes series, then you want to be able to back it up with your skills.”

Australia win extraordinary first Ashes Test in nail-biting finale

The former Australia captain also believes Moeen Ali is almost certain to miss the second Test due to his injured finger, and suggested that Jonny Bairstow’s wicket-keeping errors were one of the main reasons England lost the first Test.

“As far as I'm concerned now, England have more questions to answer than Australia. On their style of play, but also now looking at that first Test, they've got some selection issues that they're going to have to deal with as well," Ponting added.

“Moeen can't play the next game with his finger the way it is.

“Jonny Bairstow actually had a very ordinary game behind the stumps, there's about four chances that he put down. And on flat wickets, if they want flat wickets, you cannot afford your keeper to be making mistakes.

“If you look at those mistakes by themselves, some people might say those mistakes could have cost him the Test match. Those are things they have to answer. Whereas Australia, because they've won the game, they'll have to answer a lot fewer questions.”

England’s ‘Bazball’ style was on full display in the first Ashes Test, with the English batters taking aggressive approaches in both innings, some experimental field setting used throughout, and Stokes declaring on the first evening.

And Ponting believes the defeat will put increased pressure on England ahead of the second Test at Lord’s.

“I think it's going to be a really, really good test for England. Actually, I think it's going to be a good test for their style of play. I think it's going to be a good test for their leadership and their coaching,” Ponting said.

“One thing that I was looking forward to seeing most was how this style of play actually stood up against Australia. They've played Pakistan in Pakistan on flat wickets. I think they played New Zealand in six (five) of those 11 Test matches that they've won. And that was why I was so intrigued by what was going to happen.

“I said on commentary last night that, after day one, everyone was saying that Australia were negative, Australia had lots of questions to answer, how have Australia got to combat what England are doing? But Australia won the game.”

Ben Stokes vows to ‘keep coming at Australia’ after Edgbaston loss

England captain Stokes put on a brave front after the loss, saying he would stick to his style and that losing in such a manner was always a risk for a team that aren’t “results driven”.

But Ponting doesn’t believe that England are being entirely truthful about their entertainment over results ethos.

“I've heard them say that before, that they're not ‘results driven’, but I don't believe that for a second. This is an Ashes series, this is the biggest challenge that Ben Stokes has had in his career as a captain," Ponting noted.

“I'm not copping that.

“I mean, if they're not results driven, they wouldn't be disappointed at all about losing. And it seemed to me last night, and he said it, that all his players were in pieces at the end of that game. So that means to me that they do care about losing, and you should.

“Winning Test matches is not an easy thing to do, and winning an Ashes Test is not easy. You don't want to be giving good cricket teams opportunities back into a game of Ashes cricket when you're in control of the game. England were in control of the game late on day one.

“So, England presented Australia with an opportunity and Australia made the most of it.”

The second Ashes Test will start at Lord’s on Wednesday 28 June, with Australia 1-0 up in the series and temporarily sitting atop the new ICC World Test Championship standings, albeit after just one game has been played.

Joe Root will start the Lord’s Test as the new top-ranked batter in the MRF Tyres ICC Batting Rankings, having leapfrogged Travis Head, Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne with his efforts at Edgbaston.