India’s final cricket match of the year will see them defend the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. As they set out on a tour of Australia to play five Test matches, Rohit Sharma and company will be put to the test. The World Test Championship (WTC) rankings have Australia and India ranked first and second, respectively, which increases the importance of the high-voltage series.
Against Australia, the Asian giants have emerged victorious in the Test series on their last two tours to Australia in 2018–19 and 2020–21. The great Ricky Ponting stated that the Indian hitters are prepared to display their abilities on a major platform and are no longer bothered by the hitting conditions abroad.
“They achieved a victory at the Gabba [in 2020–21], which is simply unheard of. Their batsmen, in my opinion, adjust to foreign batting conditions quite well. They may not be as afraid of the Gabba or the Optus Oval as they formerly were, in my opinion. Ponting stated on Sky Sports, “Maybe it’s a selection issue, or they simply don’t fear the big stage anymore.
Ponting also said that the Indian Premier competition (IPL), a lucrative franchise competition that equips players for the rigours of international cricket, is responsible for India’s success on the global stage.
“After watching the IPL for the past ten years, I’ve realised that many young people [no longer fear the big stage] since the IPL is high-pressure and feels like their World Cup. All of their batsmen are fierce, accurate strike producers. They don’t fear failure,” he continued.
For the past six to seven years, there has been strong leadership: Ricky Ponting
Ponting noted that India’s fast-bowling depth has been impressive lately, and that excellent leadership from coaches like Rahul Dravid and captains like Virat Kohli has also been very important.
“They have excellent fast-bowling depth. From Kohli’s first captaincy to Dravid’s last four years, great leadership has been a major factor in turning the game of cricket around during the previous six to seven years. They have outstanding players, so having someone like Kohli around a squad would be very beneficial,” remarked Ponting.
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When their team toured abroad in the past, Indian supporters used to brace themselves for the worst. But times have changed, and Indian players have proven they are capable of competing with their rivals in unfamiliar settings.
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