England can't help talking about Ashes: Ponting

It is quite evident that the England team is beyond excited about the upcoming Ashes series, just having completed a 2-0 victory against New Zealand in Leeds on 28th May.

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting said that there was no way that they could skip around the topic of the Ashes series as both Australia and England have attached a high level of prestige and importance to the series, which is cricket’s oldest Test contest.

“It’s inevitable it’s going to come up. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it,” said Ponting who will, unfortunately, be missing the Ashes this time as he has retired from the international cricket.

Ponting believes that Australia captain Michael Clarke and coach Mickey Arthur will also discuss the Ashes well before the first Test against England begins at Nottingham’s Trent Bridge ground in July.

“”The Australian team will be saying the same thing — but I guarantee at different times during the Champions Trophy, Mickey and Michael will be talking about Ashes cricket at some stage”, he added.

Both the English and Australian cricket teams are set to face each other in next month’s Champions Trophy ahead of the Ashes series.

While the retirements of Ponting and Michael Hussey have left holes in Australia’s batting line up, a group of new fast bowlers, including rising stars James Pattinson and Mitchell Starc, are expected to carry forward the weight of the team