According to Ricky Ponting, the previous captain of Australia, the present team led by Pat Cummins will be concerned enough to rectify their recent losses against India in home grounds. Australia has lost all its Test series with India recently on the home soil.
Ponting is foreseeing a win for Australia in the coming five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy that begins on November 22. He wants to see the hosts secure a commanding 3-1 victory over their rivals. Remarkably, their last two Indian test matches have been won with a score line of 2-1.
“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,” Ricky 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.
Not since it was renamed Border-Gavaskar trophy have India vs. Australia played each other in any five-test match format. The most recent occasion when India took part in a five-match test series vs Australia was during 1991-92 before they introduced this particular trophy.
Ponting’s endorsement for Khaleel Ahmed’s selection into Indian touring party comes after previously coaching him at Delhi Capitals during IPL era.
“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,” Ricky Ponting said.
Ponting expressed his desire to see both teams present their best 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.
According to Ricky Ponting, the rivalry between Australia and India is nearly as fierce as that of England during Ashes matches.
“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.
Ricky Ponting stated that although most positions within Australia’s playing unit appear more or less certain Steve Smith could still remain uncertain as opener.
“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.
It is the only question I see here, although that was the only thing about how to bring Cameron Green back, of course.
“So I am going to change it; the issue is not whether Smith is suitable for the opening or if that is where he wants to be. 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.
