- July 25, 2025
When your dad is one of the greatest Australian captains of all time, you’d think living in his shadow might be a bit overwhelming. But for 14-year-old Fletcher Ponting, it seems more like stepping into a familiar pair of cricket spikes. Ricky Ponting recently opened up about his son’s obsession with cricket, and let’s just say—apple, meet tree. In a candid chat on The ICC Review, Ponting shared stories that will hit home for any cricket-obsessed family: long hours in the nets, copycat bowling actions, and even the occasional injury from trying a bit too hard to be like Bumrah.
Let’s dive into the mini-Punter’s journey and why his love for the game is more than just a family tradition—it’s a full-blown passion project in the making.
A Cricket Obsession That Runs in the Blood
If there’s one thing that resonates when you hear Ricky Ponting talk about his son, it’s that Fletcher does not just like cricket: he pretty much lives it. Fletcher is as immersed in the game as anyone; he can binge-watch hours of cricket highlights and study the bowling actions of players like Bumrah and do exactly what his dad did at that age – soak up every last bit of cricket he can like a sponge!
What is immediately obvious when you hear Ricky Ponting talk about his son is that Fletcher doesn’t merely enjoy cricket; he’s consumed by it. Fletcher is as enthusiastic about the sport as anybody; he’s spent countless hours watching cricket highlight videos and analyzing the bowling actions of guys like Bumrah, and doing exactly what his dad did at that age; absorbed in cricket like a sponge; sucking up every iota of cricket he sees.
Injuries, Setbacks, and That All-Rounder Drive
Passion often walks a tightrope with obsession, and for Fletcher, that line blurred when a back injury took him out of the game for almost a year. Diagnosed with a double stress fracture, he was benched—no running, no physical activity, and no cricket.
Ponting said the injury occurred while Fletcher tried to bowl like Bumrah, fast and aggressive, perhaps at times too much for his young, developing body. This highlights a key example that an exciting talent and exceptional athlete is still developing his skills and needs to be balanced with ambition and caution.
But what is exciting here is not only the setback that Fletcher had, but his comeback. Fletcher remained engaged and waited it out. He got back in the net to bowl again. His hunger did not dissipate; were anything, the break probably was a further spike in hunger.
From Backyard Nets to Big-League Dreams
One of the most touching aspects of Fletcher Ponting’s journey is the family circumstance that allows it to occur. When Ricky Ponting was coaching Washington Freedom, Fletcher would be off to the side waiting patiently through the whole training session, just to get some batting practice at the end. That type of devotion is not something that is taught; it’s lived.
What’s more impressive is how Washington Freedom embraced the Ponting family, allowing Fletcher and his siblings to be a part of the experience. Cricket, in this context, becomes more than a career or pastime—it becomes a bonding tool, a memory-maker, and potentially, a launchpad for Fletcher’s future in the sport.
While it’s still early days and too soon to slap the “next Ponting” label on him, the signs are promising. He’s got the obsession, the work ethic, the exposure—and, let’s be honest—the genes.
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