"Can't just choose to change the laws of the game whenever you want to" - Ricky Ponting slams 'ridiculous' suggestion from Joe Root

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has dismissed Joe Root's suggestion to make up for the last overs after England missed out on winning the fourth Ashes Test in Manchester. The 48-year-old Aussie highlighted that Root can't have the rules his way at his convenience.

After persistent showers and slow over-rates crushed England's chances of leveling the five-Test series 2-2, Root questioned why anything wasn't done to prevent losing the overs. The Yorkshire cricketer reasoned that it hardly gets dark in England before 10 pm and that every effort must be made to make up for the lost overs.

Speaking on the latest episode of the ICC Review, Ponting opined:

"You can't just choose to change the laws of the game whenever you want to. I'm sure there have been times when England have wanted to not get back out there and play themselves. I mean, that's just a ridiculous thing to say."

Only 30 overs could be possible on day 4 of the fourth Ashes Test in Manchester, while the entire day 5 was washed out.

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"They did everything they could in their power" - Ricky Ponting on England

Ricky Ponting. (Image Credits: Getty)

Ponting went on to sympathize with England as he felt they did everything to force a result. However, he also pointed out that Ben Stokes and Co have been too late to bring their A-game. He said (via ICC Review):

"There's absolutely nothing worse (as a captain). You've worked as hard as they have for three days, well three-and-a-half days really in that Test match and they were dominating the game. But by the same token, they knew at the start of the game that this was going to happen."

"You know, they did everything they could in their power to try and force a result. Unfortunately for them, they've waited until the fourth Test to actually play that way and get themselves in a situation like that in a game. And for them, it was too late."

After bowling Australia out for 317 in favorable batting conditions, the hosts racked up 592, headlined by Zak Crawley's 182-ball 189, and took a lead of 275.