Ponting on Ashes skippers’ actions in second Test

Bairstow wandered out of his crease during a pivotal period of play on an enthralling final day at the Home of Cricket and some quick thinking from Australia wicket-keeper Alex Carey saw his England counterpart stumped off fast bowler Cameron Green.

Ponting on how Ashes captains handled things

Much discussion has arisen from both camps following the dismissal - with Cummins standing by his decision to enforce the dismissal and Stokes suggesting he would have withdrawn the appeal if faced with a similar situation.

Stokes also said after the match: “For Australia it was the match-winning moment. If I was fielding captain at the time I would have put a lot more pressure on the umpires to ask them what their decision was around the (end of the) over. Then I would have had a real deep think about the spirit of the game.”

Ponting said it was difficult for Cummins to make such a bold and quick call in the heat of the battle and the former Australia captain referenced Stokes having a few hours to formulate his response in the post-match media conference.

"The two things that separates both of these two captains is that Ben Stokes had about three hours to think about his answer," Ponting told The ICC Review.

"Pat Cummins had about 10 seconds to think about what he was going to do and whether he was going to uphold it (the appeal) or not.

"It's pretty easy for Ben at the end (of the match), to sit down and give that point of view. But he was actually out there as the batting captain of his team. He could have asked, there and then, in the heat of the battle, if he was thinking clearly like he said he was three hours later in post-game.

"If he was thinking enough, he would have said that to the umpires: ‘You know, was it over? Had you started to move? Is the ball dead?’ They were the questions that had to be answered then and not at the end of the game when he said it.

"I'm not going to say either is right or wrong as they obviously have differing views and opinions.

"It's not the first time we've seen it in the game. In fact, it happened where Bairstow had actually had a shot at the stumps when Marnus was batting, and luckily it probably missed, or Marnus was probably back in his crease."

Ponting suggested times have changed since he was captain and that modern day players take more liberties while at the crease.

"I just think that the modern game's a bit different than it once was with respecting the captain of the fielding team," Ponting noted.

"I know when I was playing, and the ball had gone through to the keeper, you wouldn't dare leave your crease until you actually asked the opposition captain if it was OK and if the ball was dead and Jonny hadn't done that.

Explained: Why Jonny Bairstow was ruled out in pivotal Ashes moment

"Even to the point now, when you're asking for gloves or asking for a drink, I think players just do it. They don't even respect the fielding captain to say, 'Oh, sorry skipper, is it OK if I go and change my gloves or is it OK if I get a drink'?

"I think it's just that part of the game started off a little bit, which when we start talking about Spirit of Cricket it's not just about in and out dismissals in the Spirit of Cricket thing. It's about the respect of your opponents and the umpires and everyone around you as well. And I think that's just died off a little bit."

Stokes also suggested post-match the fact the dismissal occurred on the final delivery of Green's over should have allowed Bairstow to depart his crease and speak with his captain and fellow batter immediately, but Ponting said the only relevant aspect was whether the onfield umpire had declared the over as being completed.

"There's no (difference)," Ponting added.

"There's none because the the ball's still alive until the umpire calls over and the ball is alive and it doesn't matter if it's the fourth, first, second, or third ball, you still have to ask permission to leave your crease and if you do that, and the fielding captain says, yes you can leave your crease, then the ball is deemed as being dead.

"You can see Jonny's action. I mean, Jonny in his defence, he did actually tap his foot back in his crease again and then left his crease, maybe expecting that it was going to be called over. But it hadn't been called over and that's the mistake that he made."

Ponting on the Jonny Bairstow wicket

The Australia great remains adamant that the correct decision was made and thinks Bairstow made an error in judgement by leaving his crease and providing the opportunity for Carey to throw the stumps down from afar.

"The actual dismissal itself is fine. I don't have an issue with the dismissal because it wasn't a dead ball," Ponting said.

"By the word of the law, there's no doubt in my mind that it's out and I think everyone agrees with that and universally agrees with that it's out.

"Jonny is obviously in the wrong...and, the reason I say that is if the wicket-keeper had been standing up to the stumps like we saw Bairstow doing when James Anderson was bowling,…Carey takes the ball, Bairstow just walks out of his crease, and Carey knocks the bails off.

"Now it's exactly the same thing, only he's underarmed the ball from 15 metres away rather than standing over the stumps."

The ‘Spirit of Cricket’ debate

While many things may have changed since Ponting's playing days, the former Australia skipper knows how important that the rules of the game continue to be followed and the Spirit of Cricket is maintained at all levels.

"The Spirit of Cricket is such a wide sort of ranging opinion and view on the whole game," Ponting added.

"If we take that Bairstow moment out of this series, you would say that this series has been played with great spirit and everything that has to do with the Spirit of Cricket and I don't think anyone would disagree with that.

"But one thing like this pops up and then this whole Spirit of Cricket question is raised again. I'm absolutely a believer in it because there's more to it than just that one in or out (Bairstow) decision. It's respecting your opponents, it's respecting the opposition captain, it's respecting the umpires and it's respecting the crowds."