NEW DELHI: Ricky Ponting, the former Australian captain, is confident that the current team, under the leadership of Pat Cummins, will be determined to make amends for their recent losses against India on home soil. The Australians have suffered back-to-back Test series defeats against the Indian side in their own backyard.
Ponting predicts that Australia will emerge victorious in the upcoming five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy, scheduled to commence on November 22.He expects the hosts to secure a convincing 3-1 win over their rivals. India, who are the current holders of the trophy, have impressively won their last two Test series in Australia, both with a 2-1 margin.
“It’s going to be a competitive series. Australia has got a bit of a point to prove against India in Australia on the back of what happened in the last two series here,” Ponting told ‘The ICC Review’, as quoted by PTI.
“We are back to (having) five Tests as well, which is the other really important thing about this series. It has only been four Tests the last couple of time. (To have) five Tests, everyone is really excited by that and I don’t know if there’d be too many drawn games.
“I’m obviously going to tip Australia to win and I’m never going to tip against Australia. There will be a draw somewhere and there will be some bad weather somewhere, so I’m going to say 3-1 to Australia,” he added.
India and Australia have not engaged in a five-Test series since their bilateral contests were renamed the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The last time India played a five-Test series in Australia was in 1991-92, prior to the introduction of the trophy.
Ponting, who coached Khaleel Ahmed at Delhi Capitals in the IPL, expressed support for the left-arm seamer’s inclusion in India’s squad for the upcoming tour.
“Someone like Khaleel Ahmed, I think, could find himself on the Test tour. He has just been over in Zimbabwe recently and played that (T20I) series over there, but a left-armer would be ideal for them to have in their touring squad,” Ponting said.
The former Australian captain expressed hope that both teams would field their strongest bowling attacks.
“(Mohammed) Shami will be back fit by then, (Mohammed) Siraj we know will be there-abouts somewhere and obviously (Jasprit) Bumrah is going nowhere. Both teams are going to line up really, really strongly,” he said.
Ponting remarked that the rivalry between India and Australia is nearly as intense as the Ashes contest against England.
“I was a part of it when that really started to grow, when the rivalry really started to grow, was it’s right at the back end of my career,” Ponting said.
“I’ve said for the last couple of years now, Australia have always had a fierce rivalry with England, obviously, and a very strong rivalry with South Africa.
“But I think India is now sitting right on the back of what an Ashes clash is like and probably overtaken the rivalry with South Africa.
Ponting mentioned that while Australia’s squad appears mostly settled, it’s uncertain whether Steve Smith will continue in the opening slot.
“Australia will pretty much pick itself. Probably, the only one question there might be with Australia again, is if (Steve) Smith’s the right man to be opening the batting,” he said.
“That would be the only query that I can see there. But that was all about obviously bringing Cameron Green back into the side.
“So I’ll rephrase it, not whether Smith’s the right man to open the batting but whether he thinks it’s the right spot for him. Because if he doesn’t think it’s the right spot, then they’ll make a change and get someone else back up there,” Ponting added.
Ponting predicts that Australia will emerge victorious in the upcoming five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy, scheduled to commence on November 22.He expects the hosts to secure a convincing 3-1 win over their rivals. India, who are the current holders of the trophy, have impressively won their last two Test series in Australia, both with a 2-1 margin.
“It’s going to be a competitive series. Australia has got a bit of a point to prove against India in Australia on the back of what happened in the last two series here,” Ponting told ‘The ICC Review’, as quoted by PTI.
“We are back to (having) five Tests as well, which is the other really important thing about this series. It has only been four Tests the last couple of time. (To have) five Tests, everyone is really excited by that and I don’t know if there’d be too many drawn games.
“I’m obviously going to tip Australia to win and I’m never going to tip against Australia. There will be a draw somewhere and there will be some bad weather somewhere, so I’m going to say 3-1 to Australia,” he added.
India and Australia have not engaged in a five-Test series since their bilateral contests were renamed the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The last time India played a five-Test series in Australia was in 1991-92, prior to the introduction of the trophy.
Ponting, who coached Khaleel Ahmed at Delhi Capitals in the IPL, expressed support for the left-arm seamer’s inclusion in India’s squad for the upcoming tour.
“Someone like Khaleel Ahmed, I think, could find himself on the Test tour. He has just been over in Zimbabwe recently and played that (T20I) series over there, but a left-armer would be ideal for them to have in their touring squad,” Ponting said.
The former Australian captain expressed hope that both teams would field their strongest bowling attacks.
“(Mohammed) Shami will be back fit by then, (Mohammed) Siraj we know will be there-abouts somewhere and obviously (Jasprit) Bumrah is going nowhere. Both teams are going to line up really, really strongly,” he said.
Ponting remarked that the rivalry between India and Australia is nearly as intense as the Ashes contest against England.
“I was a part of it when that really started to grow, when the rivalry really started to grow, was it’s right at the back end of my career,” Ponting said.
“I’ve said for the last couple of years now, Australia have always had a fierce rivalry with England, obviously, and a very strong rivalry with South Africa.
“But I think India is now sitting right on the back of what an Ashes clash is like and probably overtaken the rivalry with South Africa.
Ponting mentioned that while Australia’s squad appears mostly settled, it’s uncertain whether Steve Smith will continue in the opening slot.
“Australia will pretty much pick itself. Probably, the only one question there might be with Australia again, is if (Steve) Smith’s the right man to be opening the batting,” he said.
“That would be the only query that I can see there. But that was all about obviously bringing Cameron Green back into the side.
“So I’ll rephrase it, not whether Smith’s the right man to open the batting but whether he thinks it’s the right spot for him. Because if he doesn’t think it’s the right spot, then they’ll make a change and get someone else back up there,” Ponting added.
