Ponting hails India's Perth win as 'greatest overseas triumph'
Former Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has hailed Team India's historic Test win in Perth as one of their greatest overseas. Notably, India beat Australia by a mammoth 295 runs in the first Test of the 2024/25 Border Gavaskar Trophy series. "It'll go down, I'm sure, as one of India's greatest ever Test match wins, and it probably should," Ponting said during a chat with Cricbuzz.
Ponting praises India's resilience despite key absences
Ponting emphasized that the absence of key players such as Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Mohammed Shami was a major hurdle that India overcame. Despite a dismal first innings score, the team was able to clinch a 295-run victory. "After getting bowled out for 150, it was a bit, yeah, a shock win," Ponting said. He went on to add that "they've won by the best part of 300 runs."
Bumrah's leadership pivotal in India's win
Ponting also praised stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah for his leadership and performance. Despite a challenging start, Bumrah helped India claim crucial wickets on the first day. "Oh, no doubt, Bumrah led the way," Ponting said. He further added that "The way he bowled at the start of the first innings was incredible."
Ponting credits toss win and bowling group for victory
Ponting credited India's dominance in the entire Test to winning the toss, which is a key factor at Optus Stadium. He also praised Virat Kohli for his unbeaten ton in the second innings, as well as Yashasvi Jaiswal's contribution. "But I think their whole bowling group stood up late on Day One," he said.
Ponting believes India performs better overseas
Reflecting on India's recent home series loss to New Zealand, Ponting suggested that the team might do better overseas. He said, "I think Indian batsmen now play better away from home than they play at home." He also praised young players like Jaiswal and Nitish Reddy for their performances in Perth.
