Straight Talk with Mark Bouris #218: Ricky Ponting on the Ashes, Pat Cummins, Indian cricket & stories you’ve never heard before
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Nov 27, 2025 
Ricky Ponting, a legendary cricketer and current coach, shares insights from his iconic career and life. He discusses the upcoming Ashes series, contrasting England's aggressive playing style with traditional Test cricket. Ricky reflects on managing big personalities like Shane Warne and emphasizes the importance of teamwork and trust in leadership. He also delves into his transition from player to businessman with Ponting Wines and the challenges of balancing family life with a demanding career in sports.
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Visual Focus Explains Technical Edge
- Ricky Ponting's focus was on the bottom 5% of the ball which helped him pick length earlier than most batsmen.
- That visual focus also influenced his unusual slip-catching technique with fingers pointing up.
Height And Batting: A Historical Pattern
- Historically many great batsmen were under six feet, aiding quicker length recognition at the crease.
- The game's athlete profile is shifting with T20, producing bigger, stronger players now.
Young Grinder Who Led By Example
- Ricky says he trained harder than teammates from a young age and set examples in every team he joined.
- He often sought to make teammates a few percent better each day to lift the whole group's ceiling.