NEW DELHI: Crew India head coach Gautam Gambhir, whereas addressing the media in Mumbai on Monday, forward of the staff’s departure to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, slammed former Australia captain Ricky Ponting for his feedback on India stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
Ponting had just lately expressed his concern on the type of each Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma who’ve a had a chronic poor run with the bat.
Ponting had commented on Kohli’s kind, suggesting that another participant with solely two centuries in 5 years wouldn’t have survived within the staff.
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Talking in a current episode of the ICC Evaluation, Ponting mentioned if it was not for Kohli, surviving in Take a look at cricket was robust with such a dismal document.
“I noticed a stat the opposite day about Virat, it mentioned he is solely scored two (three) Take a look at lots of within the final 5 years. That did not appear proper to me, but when that’s proper, then that’s, I imply, that is a priority,” Ponting mentioned.
“There would not be anybody else in all probability even taking part in worldwide cricket as a top-order batsman that is solely scored two Take a look at match lots of in 5 years.”
“I’ve mentioned it earlier than about Virat, you do not ever query the greats of the sport. There is not any doubt, he is an ideal of the sport. He loves taking part in towards Australia. The truth is, I do know he loves taking part in towards Australia. And as I mentioned, his document (in Australia) is superb. If there is a time for him to show it round, it might be this sequence.
“So I would not be stunned to see Virat make runs within the first sport.”
Replying to a question, Gambhir mentioned, “What does Ponting should do with Indian cricket (on the Australian’s feedback on Rohit and Virat’s kind). Rohit and Virat are extremely robust males.”
“They nonetheless work actually arduous. They’re nonetheless passionate. They nonetheless wish to obtain much more and that’s one thing which is essential. The starvation in that dressing room is extremely necessary for me and for the complete group of individuals as effectively in that dressing room. I really feel there’s plenty of starvation, particularly after what has occurred within the final sequence,” he additional added.
Kohli has had a forgettable 2024 thus far, with simply two worldwide fifties to his title and a poor dwelling Take a look at season in tune-up to the Australia tour.
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His bother towards spinners mounted within the 10 Take a look at innings he performed towards Bangladesh and New Zealand.
Whereas India swept Bangladesh 2-Zero within the Take a look at sequence, Kohli might solely mixture 99 runs at a median of 33.00 with a highest of 47.
The New Zealand sequence was the one to overlook for the Indian gamers and the staff, struggling a 0-Three whitewash in a three-Take a look at sequence at dwelling for the primary time.
In his six innings towards the Kiwis, Kohli’s bat didn’t make an impression as soon as once more, besides one innings the place he scored 70. However he might accumulate simply 23 runs within the different 5 knocks, aggregating a mere 93 runs at a median of 15.50.
Whereas many have talked concerning the Australia tour may very well be 36-year-old Kohli’s final look in Checks, the batting icon will probably be targeted on rediscovering his kind in red-ball cricket throughout the Border Gavaskar Trophy starting November 22 in Perth.
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Rohit’s dismal run with the bat has evidently affected his captaincy, as he additionally admitted that he wasn’t at his finest as a skipper.
Speaking about numbers, within the 4 innings of the 2 Take a look at matches that India gained towards Bangladesh at dwelling, the 37-year-old Rohit might rating simply 43 runs at a sorry common of 10.50, with a highest of 23.
Within the three-Take a look at sequence towards the Kiwis, which noticed India hit a historic low by getting whitewashed for the primary time in a three- Take a look at sequence on dwelling soil, Rohit’s bat produced simply 91 runs at a median of 15.16 and a highest of 52, which is his solely rating of 50 or extra within the final 10 Take a look at innings.
India will open the five-Take a look at Border Gavaskar Trophy with the primary match in Perth, starting November 22.
India have to win four Checks in Australia to straight qualify for the World Take a look at Championships ultimate that’s scheduled to be held at Lord’s in June 2025.
