Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting has lit the spark for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Check sequence by favouring the hosts to reclaim the trophy over India this season.
Curiously, the extraordinary Check rivalry between India and Australia has had relatively one-sided outcomes over the past decade. India have gained the earlier 4 Border-Gavaskar sequence since 2017, twice at residence (in 2016-17 and 2022-23) in addition to two historic sequence triumphs Down Underneath in 2018-19 and 2021-22.
Nonetheless, the Aussies trumped India within the second ICC World Check Championship last in mid-2023 to assert the title for the second cycle. The 2 groups will lock horns with qualification for the third last, slated to be held in June 2025, on the road. The winner of the upcoming sequence, set to function 5 Assessments for the primary time, might be an amazing favorite to make the ultimate.
Whereas Australia haven’t managed to beat India at residence for the reason that 2014-15 season, Ponting believes that the tides will flip this time.
“It’s going to be a aggressive sequence and as I mentioned I believe Australia’s obtained a little bit of some extent to show in opposition to India in Australia on the again of what’s occurred the final the final two sequence right here,” Ponting advised within the ICC evaluate.
“We’re again to 5 Assessments as nicely, which is the opposite actually essential factor about this sequence. It’s solely been 4 Assessments the final couple of instances. 5 assessments, I believe everybody’s actually excited by that and I don’t know if there’d be too many drawn video games.
“I’m clearly going to tip Australia to win and I’m by no means going to tip in opposition to Australia. There might be a draw someplace and there might be some dangerous climate someplace, so I’m going to say 3-1 to Australia,” Australia’s most profitable captain added.
Stable core
Ponting remarked that Australia are unlikely to see main overhauls with the one main query lingering over Steve Smith’s function as an opener. “I believe Australia will just about decide itself. In all probability the one one query there may be with Australia once more, is that if (Steve) Smith’s the suitable man to be opening the batting. That may be the one question that I can see there. However that was all about clearly bringing Cameron Inexperienced again into the aspect.
The three-time World Cup winner a;so mentioned the guests might embrace a left-arm pacer of their aspect this time, suggesting pacer Khaleel Ahmed. “Somebody like Khaleel Ahmed I believe might discover himself on the Check tour. I do know he’s simply been over in Zimbabwe lately and performed that (T20I) sequence over there, however a left-armer could be supreme for them to have of their touring squad.
“(Mohammed) Shami might be again match by then, (Mohammed) Siraj we all know might be there abouts someplace and clearly Bumrah goes nowhere. So each groups are going to line up actually, actually strongly,” Ponting added.
The five-match Check sequence begins on November 22 on the Optus Stadium in Perth.