Australia batting legend Ricky Ponting sparked a debate after making a big comment on India's batting juggernaut Virat Kohli right ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy kicked off. Before the series, Ponting, while raising concern about Virat Kohli's form had earlier said that the former India captain only scored two (three) Test hundreds in the last five years. Cut to after the first Test, which saw Kohli's magnificent hundred in Perth, Ponting wants Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith to follow India's batting maestro's footsteps to come out of form slump.
Ricky Ponting wants Labuschagne, Smith to learn from Virat Kohli
Labuschagne and Smith, who are the key figures in the Australian batting lineup, faced a challenging start to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Both struggled to make any impact in the series opener at Perth, where Australia suffered a crushing 295-run defeat. Labuschagne's scores of 2 and 3, and Smith's first-ball duck and 17 runs, highlighted their struggle against the Indian bowling attack.
Meanwhile, former Australia captain Ponting offered advice to the struggling duo. He wants Labuschagne and Smith to trust their instincts and game plans, drawing parallels to Kohli's recent resurgence. Ponting noted that Labuschagne, in particular, appeared tentative in the first Test and urged him to find a way to counter a high-quality bowling attack.
"Marnus looked the most tentative out of all the batters in Perth. Yes, it was high quality bowling on a difficult wicket, but he needs to find a way to turn it around," Ponting said during a conversation with ICC Review.
"Virat went back to trusting his game and he looked like a different player in the second innings than he did in the first innings. He got away from trying to combat the opposition and focused on his strengths. That's what Marnus and Smith need to do - find their own way and show great intent," he added.
Kohli entered the Perth Test under immense pressure. His recent form, including a disappointing performance in the series against New Zealand, had raised questions about his ability to deliver at the highest level. The challenging Perth pitch further added to the pressure, as he was dismissed for just five runs in the first innings.
However, Kohli, who is know for his fighting approach, put on a show with the bat in the second innings as he went on to crack a splendid century, which was his 30th Test ton, to help India set a formidable target of 534 runs. India ultimately won the match by a resounding margin of 295 runs, their largest Test victory on Australian soil.
Ricky Ponting wants Australia to not tinker with playing XI for Adelaide Test
Despite the heavy defeat in Perth, Ricky Ponting opted to retain the same playing XI for the upcoming match.
"I'd be sticking with the same side. I think you have to show faith in champion players and a lot of the guys that we're talking about in this team have been champion players. Maybe not for a little while, but they have proven their ability on the big stage," Ponting concluded.
Meanwhile, the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy between Australia and India is set to start on December 6 in Adelaide, which will be a day-night match.
