As the cricketing world anticipates the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy, an exchange between Gautam Gambhir and Ricky Ponting has stirred attention. Ricky Ponting’s remarks about Virat Kohli’s recent Test form prompted a sharp response from Gautam Gambhir, India’s head coach, defending Virat Kohli and dismissing Ricky Ponting’s opinion on Indian players.
In a recent ICC podcast, Ricky Ponting expressed concerns over Virat Kohli’s Test performance, specifically noting that the iconic Indian batsman has scored only two centuries in the last five years. Ricky Ponting raised questions about whether any other top-order batsman with similar statistics would still hold a place in an international lineup.
Before leaving for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia, Gautam Gambhir reacted strongly to Ricky Ponting’s comments. He dismissed the former Australian captain’s concerns, emphasizing his unwavering belief in both Virat Kohli and India’s current captain, Rohit Sharma. Gautam Gambhir questioned why Ricky Ponting was commenting on Indian cricket, suggesting he focus on Australia instead.
Following Gautam Gambhir’s response, Ricky Ponting clarified that his comments were not intended as criticism. He reiterated his respect for Virat Kohli’s skill, particularly in Australia, and Ricky Ponting further noted Gautam Gambhir’s “prickly” nature, indicating he wasn’t surprised that Gautam Gambhir responded so directly.
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