On-field verbal duels part of game: Ponting

Mumbai, April 5: Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting, who never backed off from on-field heckling during his playing days, on Sunday said verbal duels are part of the game but players shouldn’t cross the line.

“I believe its part of the game. But players do have to understand where the line is. They should never cross the line. That’s all we can say to our players, that’s all we are worried about,” Mumbai Indians coach Ponting said here.

There have been several instances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) where players have been involved in an on-field spat.

“It doesn’t matter what has happened in World Cup or before that. We should make sure we handle our players the best way we can and let our players understand the way we want to play our game and the way we want them to play the game. That’s about the same,” Ponting said. Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma seconded Ponting that players must not cross the line. Rohit attended the IPL match officials’ conclave on Saturday and had a brief discussion. When asked what he said at the conclave he said: “We just had a brief discussion on how to run the game. It was conducted on the interest of the game. Whatever we came out with is for the betterment of the game. There were issues which were raised which I cannot tell in public.” IANS