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SPORTS NOVEMBER 15, 2024 | The Indian Eye 41

Ponting predicts a 3-1 win for

Aussies as Team India prepares

the tour Down Under

Injury strikes Australia’s camp weeks before Border Gavaskar Trophy series against India

OUR BUREAU

Sydney
head of the Border-Gavaskar
Trophy 2024-25 between India
Aand Australia, former skipper
Ricky Ponting predicted that the Bag-
gy Greens will dominate the Rohit
Sharma-led side in the five-match se-
ries. Ponting predicted a 3-1 triumph
when quizzed on the series result in
August and the former Australia cap-
tain still feels comfortable with his
decision after watching India’s recent
series defeat to New Zealand and the
loss of key pacer Mohammed Shami
to injury for the upcoming tour.
Speaking with host Sanjana Gane-
san on the most recent episode of The
ICC Review, Ponting said the absence
of Shami from India’s squad would
make it more difficult for the tour-
ists to claim the 20 wickets required
to win a Test match Down Under.
“Probably more so now (than be-
fore). (Mohammed) Shami just leaves
such a big hole in that bowling group. Former Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting (ANI)
Back then (in August) there was still
some conjecture about whether Sha- top-scorer could be, identifying two po- ing Smith at the top of that list. The crucial ICC World Test Cham-
mi would be fit or not. I think taking tential candidates for the top of the list. “With Rishabh back in the side pionship series is set to be decisive in
20 wickets in a Test match for India “Leading run scorer, I’m going and probably coming into bat in the identifying the potential finalists of the
is going to be the biggest challenge. I to go - Steve Smith or Rishabh Pant,” middle order when the ball’s proba- WTC cycle with Australia and India
think they’ll bat well enough out here Ponting said. bly lost a bit of its shine and a bit of its currently at the top of the table.
with the current group of batters that He felt that the likely move of hardness and the form that he’s in, I’ll Meanwhile, weeks before the
they’ve got,” Ponting said about Aus- Steve Smith from the top of the order go for him as one of the leading run Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), Aus-
tralia’s chances against India as quot- back to No.4 increases his chances of scorers as well,” the ICC Hall of Fam- tralia suffered a setback as seasoned
ed by the ICC. doing well in the Test series. er added. medium-pacer Michael Neser sus-
Although the Aussie legend ad- Smith’s brief stint as opener in Among the bowlers, Ponting tained an injury on Thursday during
mitted that India might sneak in a win Tests hadn’t been quite successful and backed experienced seamer Josh the second unofficial Test between In-
at some point in the five-match Test ahead of the series against India, it was Hazlewood to top the wickets chart. dia A and Australia A in Melbourne.
series, Ponting stuck by his overall se- all but confirmed that the Aussie lynch- While Ponting mentions all three play- Neser, a familiar name in Australian
ries prediction. pin would move back down the order. ers in Australia’s strong pace attack, cricket, picked up a hamstring injury
“I think India will win a Test “I think Smith, the fact that he’s he felt that neither Mitchell Starc nor after delivering an impactful spell with
match somewhere through the five moved back down from opener to Pat Cummins might play all five Tests, the new ball, which left India A strug-
Test matches. But I still think now, No.4 probably makes it feel like he’s unlike Hazlewood. gling on the opening day.
Australia probably look a bit more got more of a point to prove...that “I think Hazlewood out of the The 34-year-old dismissed four of
settled, a bit more experienced and maybe he shouldn’t have gone up to Australian quicks, is right at the mo- India A’s top five batters, leaving them
we know that they’re a very hard team open in the first place and that No.4 ment, is probably at the peak of his at 64/5. He eventually limped off the
to beat at home. So I’ll stick with the is his spot and where he should have powers more than the other guys. So field while bowling his 13th over of the
3-1,” Ponting said. probably been the whole time and I’ll go with him for the leading wick- innings. Though Neser has made only
Moving on to the players we could where he probably finished his career et-taker,” Ponting said. two Test appearances for Australia,
see in the upcoming series in Australia, now,” Ponting stated, while also not The first Test between India and his impact on the domestic circuit is
Ponting was uncertain about who the neglecting the possibility of Pant push- Australia begins on November 22. well-regarded.

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