Ponting makes bold statement on South Africa pace duo
Ricky Ponting hails the performance of Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen at Lord’s and offers some advice to Australia’s batters after their first innings output in the Ultimate Test.
ICC Hall of Famer Ricky Ponting has hailed Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen as one of the most formidable fast bowling duos in cricket after the pair dominated the opening day of the ICC World Test Championship Final at Lord's.
The two in-form quicks combined to take eight wickets against Australia in the Ultimate Test on Wednesday, with Rabada particularly impressive, collecting his 17th five-wicket haul in Tests to once again put his name on the famous Honours Board at the iconic London ground.
Rabada and Jansen tear into the Aussie tail | WTC25 Final
South Africa quicks Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen make short work of Australia's tailenders in the first innings.
Ponting was impressed with Rabada and Jansen's efforts and now believes the pair is right up there in terms of opening bowling combinations in world cricket.
"I don't think there's any doubt about that," Ponting told ICC Digital before Australia’s fightback, when asked whether Rabada and Jansen were the most formidable duo in the world.
"I think that's sort of been building up over the last couple of years. They contrast each other really well with the left-arm and right-arm.
"Marco is obviously getting a bit steeper bounce than what Rabada gets. When you're talking about bowling partnerships or bowling combinations, you need guys that complement each other well.
"It's no good having two guys that are exactly the same because then it feels like you've got the same stuff coming at you from both ends...those two have worked really well together now for a few years."
Rabada five-for puts South Africa in the driving seat | Player Highlights | WTC25 Final
Kagiso Rabada led the bowling efforts for South Africa with his 17th Test five-for on Day 1 of the ICC World Test Championship Final.
It was the second consecutive match that Rabada had picked up a five-wicket haul in the first innings at Lord's, with the right-armer having produced a similar performance on his last visit to the venue during South Africa's Test against England in 2022.
Ponting compared Rabada’s latest exploits to what former teammate Glenn McGrath also managed throughout his career at the famous ground.
"Glenn McGrath was also exactly the same at Lord's," Ponting said.
"McGrath loved bowling at Lord's and loved being able to use the slope both ways from either end of the ground, which is something that is probably not talked about as much as it should be.
"These big games are all about your big name players. Your star players have to stand up in these games.
"Having been through a bit of off-field stuff in the last few months as well, I'm sure that now that he's back out on the international stage, would have wanted to stand up and be the man for his team and lead from the front. And that's what quality leaders do."
Aussie pacers hit back after Rabada shines with the ball | Day 1 Highlights | WTC25 Final
After Kagiso Rabada nabbed his 17th five-wicket haul to bundle out Australia, Pat Cummins and Co respond to set up an exciting Day 2.
And while Ponting knows Australia's batting group will be disappointed to have not reached any great heights on the opening day of the one-off Test, he offered them a piece of advice for the remainder of the contest.
"The important thing for the Aussie batters is that they now know that they're probably going to get the best of the batting conditions in their second innings, so they have to make the most of those," Ponting added.
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