Ponting, who has previously accurately predicted several dismissals in the commentary box, was at it again on Thursday when he showed off his knowledge of the game again. West Indies batters Kevin Sinclair and Alzarri Joseph were at the crease for the last over of the day bowled by Josh Hazlewood.

The aim would have been to take West Indies, who had lost seven wickets at the point, to stumps without any other loss, which led to Sinclair, on debut, turning down a relatively easy single. Striker Joseph played the ball onto the leg side and wanted a single, which was turned down after Sinclair’s big ‘no’.

The incident was spoken about in the commentary box, with James Brayshaw saying, “Sinclair was in no hurry. He’s thinking to himself, ‘This is my first Test match, I like the view from here.”

Ponting, in turn, commented: “He actually had the stop sign up. The stop sign was up and he called out ‘no’ about eight times. I don’t like saying it, for West Indies’ sake, but normally this game has a way of making things like that come unstuck.”

Off the very next delivery, Ponting was proven right as Joseph edged straight to second slip, departing for a 22-ball 32.

Following the dismissal, Ponting was heard saying, “Well, I didn’t want to say it, but I did – he [Joseph] should have been up the other end, there was a single there. That’s actually the second time today that the West Indies, on the back of some slack running between the wickets, have lost a wicket.”

Watch Ricky Ponting’s prediction come to fruition here:

"I don't like saying it, for the West Indies' sake, but normally this game has a way of making things like that come unstuck", says Ricky Ponting…

And with the last ball of the day, West Indies lose a wicket!#AUSvWI pic.twitter.com/QB4m9CXHQS

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) January 25, 2024