Ricky Ponting plays mind games before MCG Test; says Australia could clean-sweep India

Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting reckons that the hosts now have a very good chance of defeating India 4-0 in the four-match series now after the visitors suffered an eight-wicket drubbing in the first Test at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday. The Indian batsmen were completely outclassed by the Australian pace duo of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood as their second innings was wrapped up for just 36/9 within the blink of an eye.

'Some serious wounds opened up': Ricky Ponting

The second Test match will be played next Saturday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. However, it seems that 'Punter'  has decided to indulge in some pre-match mind games ahead of the all-important 'Boxing Day' Test match by saying that this loss would demoralize the Indian team going forward and that they could end up suffering a white-wash in the four-match series. 

"Now there's some serious wounds opened up. There could be a good chance of a sweep. Let's hope we do get a result in Melbourne and if we do, I think India's going to find it really hard to bounce back and win a game," cricket.com.au quoted Ponting as saying.

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Team India look to rise from the shambles 

Team India will have to put this humiliating loss behind and focus on leveling the series next week and what really makes things more complicated for the visitors is the unavailability of their skipper Virat Kohli who will be heading back to India to be with his better half Anushka Sharma as the couple is expecting the birth of their first child in January. Kohli has been granted paternity leave by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). 

The onus is now on Virat's Test deputy Ajinkya Rahane to lead the team from the front in the remainder of the series. Apart from the batting megastar's absence, another thing that will be putting the Border-Gavaskar Trophy holders in a spot of bother is the injury to one of their key pacers Mohammed Shami. 

Shami ended up fracturing his bowling wrist while he was batting during the second innings of the recently-concluded Test match. He was struck by a vicious delivery from Pat Cummins and appeared to be in deep discomfort. The physio had come to attend him but the tail-ender was in no position to bat and had to retire hurt. He did not even come out to bowl in the fourth innings. 

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