Ricky Ponting Praises Indian Batters’ Overseas Adaptability Ahead of Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Ahead of the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series between India and Australia, former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has heaped praise on the Indian batters, highlighting their remarkable adaptability to overseas batting conditions.
Ponting acknowledged that the Indian batsmen are no longer intimidated by the challenging pitches of the Gabba or the Optus Oval, as they were in the past. He attributed this shift to a combination of factors, including a strong selection process and a fearless approach to batting on the big stage.
“They won a game at the Gabba, which just doesn’t happen,” Ponting said. “I think their batsmen adapt to overseas batting conditions very well. I don’t think they’re as daunted by the Gabba or the Optus Oval, as they maybe once were.”
Ponting also credited the Indian Premier League (IPL) for playing a significant role in the development of Indian batsmen. He described the IPL as a “World Cup” for Indian players, where they gain invaluable experience in high-pressure situations.
“For the last 10 years being around the IPL, I’ve noticed that a lot of the young guys [don’t fear the big stage anymore] as the IPL is high-pressure, it is like a World Cup for them,” Ponting said. “Their batsmen are all very aggressive stroke-making players. They are not scared of failing.”
In addition to the batting prowess, Ponting also praised the Indian bowling attack, highlighting their depth and leadership. He believes that the strong leadership of Virat Kohli and Rahul Dravid has played a crucial role in the team’s success.
“Their fast-bowling depth is great. The leadership in the last 6-7 years has been strong, going back to Kohli’s start of captaincy, played a big role in turning the cricket around and Dravid has continued the same in the recent four years,” Ponting said.
The BGT series, which begins on November 22, will be a highly competitive affair, with both teams eager to prove their dominance. India has won the last four series against Australia, including two victories in Australia, while Australia’s last series win in India came in 2004-05.