'Someone Like Khaleel...': Ricky Ponting's Bold Prediction For India vs Australia Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Australia legend Ricky Ponting predicted that Pat Cummins-led side will defeat India 3-1 in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Test series.

Ricky Ponting endorsed India's left-arm seamer Khaleel Ahmed to be included in India's touring party.

Source : PTI

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting believes Australia will have a "point to prove" in the upcoming five-match Border-Gavaskar Test series against India, scheduled for November-December. Australia has suffered back-to-back Test series defeats at home against India.

Ponting predicted that Pat Cummins-led Australia will defeat India 3-1 in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Test series. India, undefeated in their last two Test series in Australia with identical 2-1 margins, will face world No. 1 Australia starting November 22.

"It's going to be a competitive series. Australia has got a bit of a point to prove against India in Australia on the back of what happened the last the last two series here," Ponting told 'The ICC Review'.

"We are back to five Tests as well, which is the other really important thing about this series. It has only been four Tests the last couple of time. (To have) five Tests, everyone is really excited by that and I don't know if there'd be too many drawn games.

"I'm obviously going to tip Australia to win and I'm never going to tip against Australia. There will be a draw somewhere and there will be some bad weather somewhere, so I'm going to say 3-1 to Australia," he added.

Ponting endorsed India's left-arm seamer Khaleel Ahmed, whom he coached at Delhi Capitals in the IPL, to be included in India's touring party.

"Someone like Khaleel Ahmed, I think, could find himself on the Test tour. He has just been over in Zimbabwe recently and played that (T20I) series over there, but a left-armer would be ideal for them to have in their touring squad," Ponting said.

"(Mohammed) Shami will be back fit by then, (Mohammed) Siraj we know will be there-abouts somewhere and obviously (Jasprit) Bumrah is going nowhere. Both teams are going to line up really, really strongly," he said.
Ponting said the competitiveness between India and Australia is quite close to the Ashes rivalry against England.

"I was a part of it when that really started to grow, when the rivalry really started to grow, was it's right at the back end of my career," Ponting said.