“He’s quite prickly….” Ricky Ponting Responds to Gautam Gambhir’s Criticism Over Kohli Comments

Former Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has found himself at the center of a heated exchange with India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir. This back-and-forth comes in the lead-up to the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy, set to begin on November 22 in Perth.

The Gautam Gambhir-Ricky Ponting Controversy 

Ponting recently expressed concern over Virat Kohli's batting performance, noting that the star batsman has struggled to score centuries in recent years. In a podcast, he highlighted that Kohli has only managed three Test centuries over the last five years. 

He suggested that if any other top-order batsman had such a record, they would likely have been dropped from their national team. Ponting stated, "There wouldn’t be anyone else probably even playing international cricket as a top-order batsman" with such statistics.

These comments prompted a sharp response from Gambhir during a press conference in Mumbai on November 11. He questioned Ponting's relevance to Indian cricket, saying, "What does Ponting have to do with Indian cricket? I think he should think about Australian cricket." Gambhir defended Kohli and Rohit Sharma, asserting their resilience and past achievements.

Ponting's Reply to Gautam Gambhir 

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In response to Gambhir’s remarks, Ponting reflected on their history together, having coached Gambhir at the Delhi Daredevils in the IPL. He described Gambhir as a "prickly character" and admitted that he was not surprised by the backlash. 

"We've got a bit of history as well playing against each other. I've actually coached him at Delhi Daredevils. He's quite a prickly character so I'm not surprised it was him who said something back," Ponting remarked during an interview with 7News.

Ponting clarified that his comments were not intended as an attack on Kohli. He emphasized that he believes Kohli is a "class player" who has performed well in Australia previously. "In no way was it a dig at him (Kohli). I actually followed it up by saying he's played well in Australia and he'll be keen to bounce back over here... If you ask Virat, I’m sure he would be a little bit concerned that he hasn’t been able to make the same amount of hundreds as he has in previous years," he explained.

Kohli's Performance Ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 

As the Border-Gavaskar Trophy approaches, Kohli's recent form raises questions. In 2024, he has struggled significantly, averaging below 25 in Tests and accumulating only two fifties throughout the year. His performance during India's recent home series against New Zealand was particularly disappointing; he scored just 93 runs across six innings, averaging 15.50.

Kohli currently stands as the joint seventh-highest run-scorer in Border-Gavaskar Trophy history, with 2,042 runs from 25 Tests at an average of 47.48, including eight centuries and five fifties. He trails behind Ponting, who holds second place with 2,555 runs from 29 Tests at an average of 54.36, including eight centuries and 12 half-centuries. As Kohli prepares for this crucial series, he will aim to improve his form and potentially surpass Ponting's record.

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