Ponting Warns of Possible Disruption in India Squad with Rohit Sharma's Return for Border-Gavaskar

Indian cricket team will aim for glory in upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. India and Australia are two of greatest cricketing nations, and India’s recent whitewash against a 3-game Test series against New Zealand ds a lot more anticipation for 5-match Test series, which will start on November 22, 2024, in Perth.

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Ricky Ponting me a huge statement about Perth and elaide Test

Captain Rohit Sharma linking up with Indian team in second Test at elaide could be a "potential disruption" for visitors, reckoned legendary Ricky Ponting, who Thursday stood by his prediction of a 3-1 series victory for Australia in Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

marquee five-match Test series starts on Friday. Rohit is on a paternity break and will miss series-opener. Pace spearhe Jasprit Bumrah is captaining Indian team in his absence.

"I just think re's potential for more disruption through ir campaign with Sharma coming back and whatever else. So I'll stick with it (3-1 verdict in favour of Australia)," Ponting said on ICC Review.

"(Marnus) Labuschagne and (Steve) Smith need to make runs for Australia. And ir bowling attack obviously is as good as anyone's in world. So I'll stick with my 3-1 Australia prediction."

  second Test, which is a day-nighter, will start on December 6.

Ponting, highest-ever run-getter for Australia in Border-Gavaskar Trophy, believes tourists are orwise well-settled going into series despite ir recent home series defeat to New Zealand.

"India will be pretty certain of what team y're going to play (in Perth). y've known for a while that Rohit probably wasn't going to be here," Ponting said.

"y've probably known for a while that Bumrah was going to be captain.

"So y've probably known what holes y've needed to fill. So y'll be reasonably settled." In past four series between two teams, India have won on all four occasions, including back-to-back away Test wins in 2018-19 and 2020-21.

Going back to 2020-21 series between two teams, Ponting recalled how his 2-1 prediction in favour of Australia backfired after he discussed it with Sunil Gavaskar in aftermath of India's 36 all out in elaide, ir lowest-ever Test total.

India, though, me a remarkable comeback to win in Melbourne and Brisbane to claim an unprecedented second successive Test series victory in Australia, one of hardest countries to tour.

"I think I might have said 2-1 at start," Ponting recalled.

"And n Sunny looked at me and said, 'It will be 2-1, but it will be 2-1 (in favour of) India.' And I thought re was no way in world that y could bounce back after losing way y did in elaide. But y did." What me India's triumph even more memorable was that y achieved feat without several first-choice players, including n captain Virat Kohli , who came back to country after elaide drubbing for birth of his daughter.

Ponting hoped his prediction would prove to be correct this time around.

"Sunny got better of me re. So I hope Ravi doesn't get better of me this time. So I'm going to stick with 3-1 Australia," he said.

Speaking about preparation, Ponting believed that mental side of game needed to be looked into, especially for a significant series like one against India.

"Preparation is always a hard one to get right. Because I've seen guys like Travis He in past where y've almost h no preparation at all, going into a game and n turn up and play one of all-time great innings," he explained.

"...with this game, your skills don't ever leave you. y don't go too far away. But as long as you're thinking clearly and thinking right things, n you can make your body do pretty much whatever you want it to do." 

(PTI Inputs)