Haren
Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting has lit the spark for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Test series by favouring the hosts to reclaim the trophy over India this season.
Interestingly, the intense Test rivalry between India and Australia has had rather one-sided results over the last decade. India have won the previous four Border-Gavaskar series since 2017, twice at home (in 2016-17 and 2022-23) besides two historic series triumphs Down Under in 2018-19 and 2021-22.
However, the Aussies trumped India in the second ICC World Test Championship final in mid-2023 to claim the title for the second cycle. The two teams will lock horns with qualification for the third final, slated to be held in June 2025, on the line. The winner of the upcoming series, set to feature five Tests for the first time, will be an overwhelming favourite to make the final.
While Australia have not managed to beat India at home since the 2014-15 season, Ponting believes that the tides will turn this time.
“It’s going to be a competitive series and as I said I think Australia’s got a bit of a point to prove against India in Australia on the back of what’s happened the last the last two series here,” Ponting told in the ICC review.
“We are back to five Tests as well, which is the other really important thing about this series. It’s only been four Tests the last couple of times. Five tests, I think everyone’s 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,” Australia’s most successful captain added.
Solid core
Ponting remarked that Australia are unlikely to see major overhauls with the only major question lingering over Steve Smith’s role as an opener. “I think 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. That would be the only query that I can see there. But that was all about obviously bringing Cameron Green back into the side.
The three-time World Cup winner a;so said the visitors could include a left-arm pacer in their side this time, suggesting pacer Khaleel Ahmed. “Someone like Khaleel Ahmed I think could find himself on the Test tour. I know he’s 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.
“(Mohammed) Shami will be back fit by then, (Mohammed) Siraj we know will be there abouts somewhere and obviously Bumrah is going nowhere. So both teams are going to line up really, really strongly,” Ponting added.
The five-match Test series begins on November 22 at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
