Dubai, Nov 21 (IANS ) Australia great Ricky Ponting reflected on the challenges of preparing for a high-stakes series like the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, emphasising mental clarity over excessive match practice and said that performing in the series will be more about "making sure you’re nice and fresh mentally and physically."
“Preparation is always a hard one to get right. Because I've seen guys like Travis Head in the past where they've almost had no preparation at all, going into a game and then turn up and play one of the all-time great innings. “For me, it’s not so much the skills side going into games or series like this. It’s making sure you’re nice and fresh mentally and physically,” Ponting said on the ICC Review show.
The former Ausie captain further outlined his reasoning and reflected on past predictions that didn’t go his way, adding a touch of humour to his assessment.
Ravi Shastri had recently forecasted a close series, suggesting a 3-1 scoreline for either side but believing India could edge ahead with a strong start. When Ponting was asked his view on Shastri’s prediction, the 49-year-old stuck to his guns, saying, “I’m going to stick with the 3-1 Australia.”
Ponting’s prediction comes against the backdrop of a historic rivalry. India has not lost a Border-Gavaskar Trophy series since 2017 and famously won the last two contests in Australia, including their dramatic triumph in 2020/21.
Ponting also recounted a past exchange with India legend Sunil Gavaskar during the 2020/21 series. After India’s disastrous first Test in Adelaide, where they were bowled out for 36, Ponting had predicted a 2-1 series win for Australia. Gavaskar countered, predicting the same margin in India’s favor. To Ponting’s disbelief, India rebounded spectacularly to win the series 2-1, proving him wrong.
“Sunny got the better of me there. hope Ravi doesn’t get the better of me this time. So I'm going to stick with the 3-1 Australia," he added
He also cited Australia’s balanced lineup and preparedness as reasons for his confidence and acknowledged the potential disruptions in India’s campaign, particularly with captain Rohit Sharma expected to return midway through the series.
“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've probably known what holes they've needed to fill. So they'll be reasonably settled," he said.
The first Test of the series kicks off on November 22 in Perth, with both teams gearing up for a grueling battle for supremacy. Australia, buoyed by recent success, will look to end India’s dominance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, while the visitors aim for an unprecedented third consecutive series victory Down Under.