November 6, 2024: As the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 series between India and Australia approaches, former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has confidently predicted a 3-1 victory for Australia in the highly anticipated five-match Test series. This prediction, made earlier in August, remains unchanged for Ponting despite India’s recent series defeat to New Zealand and the injury to key pacer Mohammed Shami, who will miss the tour.
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Speaking on The ICC Review with host Sanjana Ganesan, Ponting emphasized that Shami’s absence would be a significant blow to India’s bowling attack. He explained, “Shami just leaves such a big hole in that bowling group.” While Ponting acknowledged that India still possesses a strong batting lineup, he pointed out that taking 20 wickets in a Test match—an essential task to win a Test Down Under—would become even more challenging without Shami, who had been a key figure in India’s recent successes.
Ponting’s view aligns with his earlier prediction: while he anticipates that India will win a Test match during the series, he still believes Australia is the more settled and experienced team, particularly with home advantage. He said, “I still think now, Australia probably look a bit more settled, a bit more experienced… So I’ll stick with the 3-1.”
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Ponting was hesitant to pick a single leading run-scorer for the series but identified two standout candidates. Steve Smith, who is set to return to his preferred spot at No. 4 after a brief stint as an opener, is a favorite for Ponting. Smith’s shift back to No. 4 is seen as a move to reclaim his most successful position in the batting order. Ponting commented, “I think Smith… probably makes it feel like he’s got more of a point to prove.”
He also highlighted Rishabh Pant as another potential top scorer, considering the form the Indian wicketkeeper-batter is in and the favorable conditions for him to come in when the ball has softened.
Ponting stated, “With Rishabh back in the side and probably coming into bat in the middle order when the ball’s probably lost a bit of its shine… I’ll go for him as one of the leading run scorers as well.”
When discussing the leading wicket-taker, Ponting placed his bet on Josh Hazlewood, the experienced Australian seamer. While acknowledging the strength of Australia’s fast bowling unit, Ponting believed Hazlewood is currently at the peak of his powers. He remarked, “I think Hazlewood, out of the Australian quicks, is probably at the moment, probably at the peak of his powers more than the other guys.”
Ponting speculated that Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins may not feature in all five Tests due to fitness concerns, which further strengthens Hazlewood’s chances of leading the wicket charts.
The series, which begins on November 22, holds massive significance for both teams, not only for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy but also for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) standings. With both India and Australia currently leading the WTC points table, this series will be pivotal in determining the finalists for the WTC cycle. As Ponting noted, Australia will have a tough but familiar challenge ahead in defending their home turf, but with their settled team and strong leadership, they will be difficult to beat.
The series promises to be an exciting contest, with India’s strong batting lineup and Australia’s depth in fast bowling making it one of the most eagerly awaited Test match rivalries in recent years.
