Ex-Australia Skipper Predicts India's Future In Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Picks Aussies As Favourites

Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024: Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma's biggest challenge will come around when India tour Australia for a five-match Test series later this year in November. India, quite understandably have the upper hand as they have secured four consecutive Test series wins against the Aussies (2016, 2018, 2021 and 2023). But this time around, the Border-Gavaskar trophy will span across five Test matches and that might be the deciding factor.

Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir have participated in the 'Down Under' Tests, but as players. This time around they'll have added responsibilities and the Head Coach and the skipper of the side. Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting feels that the five-match Test series might just tip the scales in Australia's favour.

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy moved away from the traditional four-match Test series after ICC's new  Future Tour Programme (FTP) that came into existence in 2022. India play the first Test of the tour on November 22 at the Perth Stadium.

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'Will Never Tip Against Australia': Ricky Ponting

Former Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting has been in the news for quite sometime now. His seven-year-old coaching stint with IPL franchise Delhi Capitals recently came to a close but he has expressed his interest to continue in the IPL. Ponting has now given a hard-hitting take on India's future in the Border-Gavaskar trophy and has picked Australia to win the series 3-1.

'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. 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', said Ponting in his ICC Review.

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India Look To Extend Their Test Series Winning Streak Against Aussies

India's tour to Australia in 2020-21 was historic. A bruised and battered Indian team with absolutely little or no experience in Test cricket defeated a dominant Australia 2-1. India's 36 all-out in Adelaide has been spoken about much, but the manner in which they turned their fortunes around and won the BGT is something that will play on the mind of skipper Pat Cummins. Rohit Sharma will be touring Australia as the captain of the Indian Test team for the first time and he will certainly want to secure an away series victory which will also go a long way to decide a berth in the WTC Finals.