'Ponting can comment on anything he wants': Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden back their former captain after Gautam Gambhir's press conference comments

Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden feel that their former captain Ricky Ponting has every right to express his opinion as he is being paid to do so.

Sports Tak

• Sat • 16 Nov 2024

Australia's century makers Darren Lehmann, Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden celebrate after day five of the Second Test between the West Indies and Australia on April 23, 2003.

Darren Lehmann, Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden

Highlights:

Ricky Ponting called Gautam Gambhir a 'prickly character'.

Ponting backed Virat Kohli to do well in Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.

India head coach Gautam Gambhir is on the receiving end of the criticism for his reply to former Australia captain Ricky Ponting pointing out Virat Kohli's lack of Test centuries in last five years. In the pre-departure press conference, Gambhir had said that Ponting should worry about Australian cricket, not Indian cricket. Ponting had a strong retort as well as he called Gambhir as a "prickly character". Days after the incident, Ponting's former teammates Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden have come in his defense. The former opening pair said that Ponting can say anything he wants.

“Punter can comment on anything he wants,” said Gilchrist on the Club Prairie Fire podcast. “I think he has earned the right to comment on most aspects of cricket. I love this, this is going to get the popcorn out for the rest of the summer.”

Hayden agreed with Gilchrist as he said that the former cricketers are paid to give their opinions.

“We are paid to make an opinion, make a comment and make a call about the game we know and love,” the former opener said.

ALSO READ: Shardul Thakur reacts to Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024 squad snub after head coach Gautam Gambhir picked young all-rounder as his replacement

While India are low on confidence after the cleansweep at home at the hands of New Zealand, Hayden believes that the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 will be a well-fought contest.

“Both the Australian and Indian cricket team have not played a lot of long form cricket, the reality is that is going to make the competition really close. When you think about Test cricket, all the names that GG and Punter are squabbling over, they have been masters of long form cricket,” said the 53-year-old.

ALSO READ: Watch: BCCI posts highlights of India's match simulation in Perth featuring five batters including Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant on Day 1

Australia's transition in recent years

Australia have not been able to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy last two times at home. In Steve Smith, David Warner's absence, Virat Kohli-led India humbled Australia. Then, a depleted Indian squad during Covid-19 pandemic beat the might Australians and ended their dominance at the Gabba. Since then, under the leadership of Pat Cummins, Australia have been doing well in the red-ball format. Cummins led Australia to their maiden World Test Championship (WTC) title.