New Delhi: Former captain Ricky Ponting is optimistic about Australia's prospects in the forthcoming Border Gavaskar Trophy against India, predicting a 3-1 series victory for his team.
This prediction is among several made by cricket luminaries in the build-up to the BGT.
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes the series could end in a 3-1 draw, but cautions that the visiting team's early momentum could lead to a significant advantage.
Ponting's attempt to predict the outcome of the BGT 2020/21 edition was unsuccessful. However, he remains hopeful that this time around, his forecast will be accurate.
"Sunny got the better of me in the last instance. Therefore, I am hopeful that Ravi will not repeat the same mistake," Ponting stated in an ICC Review preceding the opening Test.
He elaborated on his reasoning, expecting India to overcome their recent setbacks, particularly their 3-0 home Test series defeat against New Zealand.
With designated skipper Rohit Sharma unable to participate in the series opener, star bowler Jasprit Bumrah was appointed as his replacement.
Ponting anticipates that India will approach the Perth Test with a cohesive team, addressing the weaknesses that contributed to their previous defeats.
"India will be well-prepared for the match in Perth. They have been aware for some time that Rohit might not be available, and they have likely identified the areas they need to improve in," he explained.
Ponting places his confidence in the Australian team's ability to excel across various aspects of the game. However, he emphasizes the importance of Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne's performance in driving Australia's success.
Smith's recent form has been a concern for the Australian hosts. Following his impressive century against England at Lord's in July 2023, Smith has averaged just 33.64 runs in 10 games.
Conversely, Labuschagne has struggled in his recent matches, averaging just 653 runs in 12 games with a subpar strike rate of 29.68, including a sole century and five fifties in 24 innings.
"(Marnus) Labuschagne and (Steve) Smith need to perform well for Australia. Their bowling team is among the best in the world, so I am confident in my 3-1 Australia prediction," Ponting concluded.
