Ricky Ponting Predicts 3-1 Victory for Australia in Border-Gavaskar Trophy Against India
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has pushed Australia to win 3-1 in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India.
After losing the last two home Test series to India, both by 2-1 margins in 2018–19 and 2020–21, Ponting thinks Australia is keen to make a statement. The last time Australia won a Test series against India was in 2014–15.
Additionally, Ponting thinks that Steven Smith need to decide whether to open or not for Australia in Test matches.
After losing their previous two home Test series to India 2-1 in 2018–19 and 2020–21, he stated that the hosts will have a “bit of a point to prove”. Since 2014–15, Australia has not defeated India in a Test series.
“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 two series here,” Ponting said during the ICC Review. The other incredibly essential aspect of this series is that we are back to five Tests. The past few occasions, there have only been four tests. I believe that the five tests have everyone quite enthusiastic, though I’m not sure if there would be an excessive number of drawn games.
“I will undoubtedly predict Australia to win, and I will never predict Australia to lose. I’m going to predict Australia wins 3-1 because there will be a draw someplace and some unfavorable weather somewhere.”
On Steven Smith’s Opening in Test Matches
The Australian team would “pretty much pick itself,” according to Ponting, but he wasn’t sure if Steven Smith should stay as the opener after David Warner’s retirement from the SCG earlier this year left the position open.
“Is Smith the appropriate man to open the batting again for Australia? That’s about the only question there is. The only question I can think of there would be that one. However, the main goal there was undoubtedly to get Cameron Green back into the lineup.
To put it another way, I’ll ask whether Smith believes that opening the batting is the proper position for him rather than if he’s the right man for the job. Because I believe they’ll move and put someone else up there if he doesn’t think it’s the correct location.”
Smith opened in his previous Test series, which took place in March in New Zealand, and managed just 51 runs in four innings. After Warner retired, he was elevated to the top to make room for Cameron Green in the starting lineup. This move paid off as Green ended up being the tour’s leading scorer with 238 runs in four innings, including a career-high 174 not out in Wellington.
Despite the tiny sample size (eight innings as the opener), Smith’s numbers don’t seem good. With the exception of a career-high 91 against the West Indies at the Gabba this year, he averages 28.50 and has only once crossed 30.
