Ahead of the highly anticipated Border Gavaskar Trophy, which begins on November 22 in Perth, India's head coach Gautam Gambhir has sparked a fiery exchange with former Australian captain Ricky Ponting. The situation got worse after Ponting raised concerns about Virat Kohli's recent form, which has been a struggle for the batting star in 2024.
Gambhir stood up for Kohli and Rohit Sharma during a pre-departure press conference, dismissing Ponting's critiques as unwarranted. "What is Ponting doing in Indian cricket?" Gambhir emphatically said that he thinks he should concentrate on Australian cricket and that he feels the duo can deliver, although they have not been at their best in recent times. Kohli’s numbers for the year are depressing: 488 runs in 25 innings across formats at an average of 20.33, including a disastrous outing in the recent Test series against New Zealand, where he managed just 93 runs at an average of 15.50.
Gambhir's remarks were not aimed at Kohli personally, said Ponting, who has a history with the Indian coach and reiterated that his comments were not a personal attack. 'I was a bit surprised with the reaction... he's quite a prickly character, but he's a class player, and he's played well in Australia before and will want to play well again,' Ponting said.
The exchange comes as Kohli and Sharma face mounting pressure ahead of a tough series against Australia. Both players are under the scanner to return to form and lead the team effectively after India's recent 0-3 whitewash against New Zealand is still fresh in their minds. Both players are very passionate about their game and are committed to getting better, and they have that hunger for success, said Gambhir.
