Former cricket stars Ravi Shastri and Ricky Ponting have praised the record-breaking attendance on the latest five-match Check collection between India and Australia. They prompt this rivalry would possibly now surpass the Ashes in significance.
Australia triumphed 3-1, ending India’s decade-long dominance of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The collection attracted a exceptional 837,000 spectators throughout the 5 Exams.
Former India coach Shastri described the rivalry between the 2 groups as “unreal” within the fashionable period.
“One stat stands out: 375,000 folks coming by way of the gates in that Melbourne Check match, beating the file set 90 years in the past of 350,000,” Shastri mentioned on ‘The ICC Overview’.
“(In) 1936/1937, when the ‘G’ might maintain 120,000 folks and when Bradman was taking part in.
“It simply goes to indicate the sudden curiosity within the fashionable period. The bar has been raised. The bar has been raised large time.”
“For folks to get on the market and watch cricket when there’s tv, when there’s OTT platforms, the place all that’s there, nonetheless for 375,000 folks to return (to Melbourne) after which replicate that in Sydney with full homes, it is unreal,” Shastri added.
Shastri, who coached India throughout their consecutive Check collection wins in Australia in 2017-18 and 2020-21, additionally counseled Australian captain Pat Cummins.
“He (Cummins) amazes me,” mentioned the previous India all-rounder.
“Even after I was the coach within the dressing room, I might simply admire his dedication, his willingness to compete. He by no means offers up and it is like that session after session – he’ll come at you with the ball.
“And simply when the chips have been down, varied occasions within the collection, he rose to the event. And never simply with the ball, however with the bat as effectively.”
Ponting echoed Shastri’s sentiments, emphasising the unprecedented attendance numbers in Australia.
“So now that this collection has occurred, Australia have England popping out subsequent summer time so we’ll get a greater concept then. If the numbers aren’t the identical, then there will be little question that the (Border-Gavaskar) rivalry (is larger), definitely from the followers’ perspective.
“There’s two separate elements to this: There’s what the followers need to see and the rivalry that they need to make of it, however it’s additionally how the gamers view the rivalry between the three groups now,” Ponting mentioned.
Ponting famous that the attendance figures might have been even greater if not for climate interruptions and early finishes.
“Perth solely went 4 days, Adelaide solely went three days, Sydney solely went three days. These numbers would have been astronomical if these Check matches all went 5 days. So precisely this time subsequent 12 months, we’ll have an excellent concept of the most important rivalry in world cricket.
“The followers, understanding how good these two cricket groups are, need to be there and need to be a part of it and need to see Check match cricket at its very best,” Ponting mentioned.
“Proper now, it is actually laborious to argue that this is not the most important rivalry in world cricket. It is grown.
“Yr on 12 months and Ravi (Shastri) and I, we have been part of most of those the final 15, 20 years. We have felt the way it’s been rising and rising and the rivalry will get larger and now the followers are into it as effectively.”
Ponting additionally praised Australia’s skill to bounce again after a loss.
“Whenever you lose a Check match (in Perth) like that in opposition to one other very robust opposition aspect, you do should do a little bit of soul looking out and do quite a lot of speaking,” he mentioned.
“It has been a very good turnaround, particularly when in the beginning of the collection, I assumed Australia would win 3-1, however I really thought they’d win the early Check matches.
“I assumed they’d win Perth, I assumed they’d win Brisbane and possibly Adelaide and discover it more durable in Melbourne and Sydney.
“The circumstances that you just assume India would usually play higher in, Australia’s discovered a strategy to outplay them in Melbourne and Sydney.
“It was a very good turnaround and one that they will be proud of.”
