BGT 2024/25: Ricky Ponting backs Virat Kohli, Steve Smith to come good, says 'they’ve got plenty of time'

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has backed star batters Virat Kohli and Steve Smith to come good in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT). India and Australia will face each other in a five-match Test series with the World Test Championship (WTC) final qualification on the agenda. However, it is the form of the two star batters concerning the management with Virat going over a year without an international hundred.

Ponting backs Kohli, Smith to come good

“I still think they’ve got plenty of time to find their best,” Ponting told Sydney Morning Herald in an interview. “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.”

Both Smith and Kohli have endured a tough last 12 months with bat. Calls for them to be dropped from the squad IS now making rounds. Smith has not scored an international ton since the 2023 Ashes when he got one at Lord’s while Kohli has also been on the slide. All eyes will be on both the players as BGT will have a huge impacton the ratings forthe WTC final in June 2025.

For Ponting, things will be difficult to manage as he will have to travel for the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) mega auction on Sunday despite being part of the commentary team for the Perth Test. Ponting is the head coach of Punjab Kings and will have a big role to play as the franchise retained only two players during the retention window.

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India are likely to hand a debut to Nitish Kumar Reddy for the Perth Test if Shubman Gill fails to recover. KL Rahul is expected to open with Yashasvi Jaiswal, while Virat Kohli will bat at number three.

Border-Gavaskar Trophy (India-Australia series) Schedule

1st Test: 22nd November to 26th November, Perth

2nd Test: 6th December to 10th December, Adelaide

3rd Test: 14th December to 18th December, Brisbane

4th Test: 26th December to 30th December, Melbourne

5th Test: 3rd January to 7th January, Sydney