ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 09: Joe Root of England walks onto the ground at the conclusion of the tea break during day two of the Four Day Tour match between the Cricket Australia XI and England at Adelaide Oval on November 9, 2017 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has gone in on England captain Joe Root's leadership after the second Test in Adelaide which saw the tourists fall 2-0 down in the series.
Ponting was left stunned by Root's comments post-game, with the world's best batsman claiming he wanted his bowlers to pitch the ball up more in the first innings. Ponting took aim at Root for his inability to control his bowlers.
Root admitted the England bowlers hadn't learned from their previous mistakes four years ago.
"I don't think we bowled the right lengths," Root said.
"If we're being brutally honest, we needed to bowl fuller.
"That's one of the frustrating things because it's something we did four years ago and got it wrong and we didn't learn from it. We made the same mistakes last week (in Brisbane) – we just have to be better and we've got to learn those lessons very quickly."
Those comments left the Channel 7 broadcaster to say that Root may as well not be on the field if he can't control his bowlers and the plans put in place.
Ponting believes if Root is to be the leader England need for the rest of the tour, he needs to be able to work with his bowlers to fix a problem apparently so easily identifiable.
"I nearly fell off my seat when I heard that," Ponting said.
"Whose job is it then to make them change? Why are you captain then?
"If you can't influence your bowlers on what length to bowl, what are you doing on the field?"
There was criticism of James Anderson throughout the Test match with many experts suggesting the 39-year-old wasn't willing to go for many runs throughout his spells.
Ponting said that Root may need to make a statement at the expense of his bowlers if they weren't going to follow a plan.
"Joe Root can come back and say whatever he likes but if you're captain, you've got to be able to sense when your bowlers aren't bowling where you want them to.
"And if they're not going to listen, you take them off, simple as that.
"Give someone else a chance that is going to do it for you. Or you have a really strong conversation with them on the field to tell them what you need.
"That's what captaincy is all about.