The grand stage is set for an electrifying Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, and all eyes are on two of cricket’s most iconic batters, Virat Kohli and Steve Smith. As the action is set to kick off in Perth on November 22, the pressure is mounting on both batting giants, who have been going through a lean patch.
Virat Kohli has been completely out of track this year in whites, averaging just 22.72 in his six Tests in 2024. His disappointing performance in India’s shocking whitewash at the hands of New Zealand at home has left fans and pundits wondering if his time at the top is slipping away.
Ricky Ponting backs Virat Kohli and Steve Smith to prove doubters wrong in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25
On the other side, Steve Smith is also hoping to silence the critics with his performance in the upcoming five-match Test series against India after facing turmoil in the past year. The 35-year-old has returned to his familiar spot at No. 4 in the lineup after a forgettable stint as an opener.
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With his place back in the middle order, Steve Smith is determined to cement his reputation as one of the game’s finest batsmen, while Virat Kohli also has a great record on Australian soil and would love to extend his dominance in Australia again in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
It’ll be interesting to see the mindset of Kohli and Smith: Ricky Ponting
Ahead of the Perth Test, former Australia captain Ricky Ponting said that there is plenty of time for both Virat Kohli and Steve Smith to rediscover their form and make their mark on the historic Test series. Ricky Ponting believes both Kohli and Smith are more than capable of turning their fortunes around and restoring their dominance in Test cricket.
Ricky Ponting was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald: “Smith and Kohli have enough good people around them to get things back on track pretty quickly. It’ll be interesting to see the mindset of Kohli and Smith this summer. I still think they’ve got plenty of time to find their best.
“It might be Smudge’s time actually, after that experiment up the top. He’s back down in his more comfortable spot at No. 4, which I was on record saying I don’t think he should have moved; it should have been an opener who played at that stage.”
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Ricky Ponting says Kohli and Smith are every bit as talented as Joe Root
The legendary batter Ricky Ponting also cited the example of England’s Joe Root, who has found a resurgence late in his career to claim that both Steve Smith and Virat Kohli have the potential to stun the cricket world yet again.
Ponting signed off by saying, “Joe Root is a great example of someone of similar age who has found a way towards the back end of his career to play better than he did for the front end of his career. These two guys are every bit as talented as Root and, before the last couple of years, had better records. So, it’s all there for them. Kohli’s played well here in the past, and he can turn the table this time also.”
