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Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting responded to India head coach Gautam Gambhir's comments in press conference in Mumbai on November 11. Ponting had pointed out that Virat Kohli has not scored many Test centuries in last five years and insinuated that had it been any top-order batter in the world, he would've been dropped. While Ponting backed Kohli to do good in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, Gambhir did not like his comments and told him to worry about Australian cricket.
Ponting in his response recalled coaching Gambhir at Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) and said that he wasn't surprised by his comments. These back and forth from the former cricketers have gained a lot of attention and have ignited a part of its own ahead of the much-awaited Border-Gavaskar Trophy which will start in Perth, from November 22. Gambhir would like to guide his team to another historic outing on the Australia soil.
"We've got a bit of history as well playing against each other. I've actually coached him at Delhi Daredevils. He's quite a prickly character so I'm not surprised it was him who said something back," Ponting said on 7News.
Ponting was asked whether he expects to shake his hand on Day 1 of the first Test of the series starting on November 22 at Perth Stadium to which he replied, "If he comes my way (laughs). I don't expect him to."
Ponting's clarification on Kohli comment
Ponting further clarified that he was not taking a dig at Kohli. He further said that even Kohli would admit that he hasn't scored many centuries during the aforementioned period.
"In no way was it a dig at him (Kohli). I actually followed it up by saying he's played well in Australia and he'll be keen to bounce back over here...If you ask Virat, I'm sure he would be a little bit concerned that he hasn't been able to make the same amount of hundreds as he has in previous years," he said.
"So it's amazing how little things can get cut up, but he's a class player and he's played well in Australia in the past."
Kohli's chance to surpass Ponting
Kohli is currently the joint seventh-highest run-scorer alongside Steve Smith in the history of Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Kohli has 2,042 runs from 25 Tests at ana verage of 47.48 including eight centuries and five fifties. Kohli will be chasing Ponting's tally of runs. He is second on the list below Sachin Tendulkar with 2,555 runs from 29 Tests at an average of 54.36 including eight centuries and 12 half-centuries.
