Border Gavaskar Trophy: Ricky Ponting Dismisses Gautam Gambhir's Advice On Rohit Sharma's Impact

The eagerly awaited Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia begins on Friday, November 22. Both teams are keen to assert their dominance in this iconic cricket rivalry.

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has once again predicted a 3-1 series win for Australia. Despite advice from Gautam Gambhir to refrain from commenting on the Indian team, Ponting continues to express his views.

Ponting recently criticised Virat Kohli's form before the Test series, sparking a verbal exchange with Gambhir. Gambhir, India's head coach, responded by advising Ponting to focus on Australian cricket instead.

"What does Ponting have to do with Indian cricket? I think he should think about Australian cricket," Gambhir remarked.

Ignoring Gambhir's advice, Ponting has now commented on India captain Rohit Sharma. Rohit is currently on paternity leave and will miss the first match, with Jasprit Bumrah stepping in as captain.

Ponting believes Rohit's return might disrupt India's campaign. "I just think there's potential for more disruption through their campaign with Sharma coming back and whatever else. So I'll stick with it (3-1 verdict in favour of Australia)," he said during an ICC Review interview.

Ponting emphasised the need for key Australian players like Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith to perform well. He also praised Australia's strong bowling lineup as one of the best globally.

India's Preparedness for the Series

Despite favouring Australia, Ponting acknowledged India's readiness for the series. He noted that India is familiar with their team setup and expected changes due to Rohit's absence and Bumrah's leadership role.

"India will be pretty certain of what team they're going to play (in Perth). They've known for a while that Rohit probably wasn't going to be here. They've probably known for a while that Bumrah was going to be captain. So they'll be reasonably settled," he added.

Mental Readiness in High-Stakes Matches

Ponting also highlighted the importance of mental preparation in such high-pressure series like the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. "Your skills don't ever leave you... But as long as you're thinking clearly and thinking the right things, then you can make your body do pretty much whatever you want it to do," he concluded.

As the series kicks off, both teams aim to secure a significant victory. For India, winning by a large margin is crucial to qualify for next year's WTC final. Fans can look forward to another exciting chapter in this legendary cricket rivalry.