"That is a bad move, Ricky... what are you doing? You're going to fire that guy up" - Shane Lee on Ponting engaging in a war of words with Gambhir
Former Australia cricketer Shane Lee has expressed surprise at his former skipper Ricky Ponting getting involved in a verbal exchange with Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir ahead of the Border-Gavaskar series.
The Indian coach did not entertain Ponting's recent comments on the ICC Review regarding Virat Kohli's form. In a press conference before leaving for Australia, Gambhir said Ponting had nothing to do with Indian cricket.
"What does Ricky Ponting have to do with Indian cricket? He should be talking about Australia. Look, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are still passionate about the game and want to achieve more. They are hungry for success and have done exceptionally well for the country over the years," Gambhir said (via The Hindustan Times).
The friction has increased during the build-up to the series as Ponting issued a reply to Gambhir, terming him a 'prickly character.'
"I was surprised to read the reaction but knowing the coach, Gautam Gambhir... he's quite a prickly character, so I'm not surprised it was him who said something back," Ponting said on Channel Seven.
Amid this battle off the field, Shane Lee is surprised that Ponting is providing ammunition to Gambhir.
“That is a bad move, Ricky. What are you doing? You are going to fire that guy up. He is a world class player and he will fire up out here,” Lee said on Fox Cricket’s podcast 'The Follow On.'
Virat Kohli was one of the first players to reach Australia as the spotlight is cast heavily on him. Intense media coverage and his recent struggle makes it a crucial series for him in his twilight.
Team India have also commenced their practice at the WACA in Perth ahead of the series opener. The visitors have opted against playing a warm-up contest, and will instead rely entirely on match simulation scenarios and net sessions to adjust to the conditions in time.
"In no way was it a dig at him" - Ricky Ponting on his comments about Virat Kohli
The start of the debacle goes all the way to Ponting's comments about Kohli, where he mentioned that with only two Test hundreds in five years, his place in the side must be questioned. However, Ponting clarified his comments following Gambhir's retort.
"If you ask Virat, I'm sure Virat 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. In no way was it a dig at him. I actually followed it up by saying he's played well in Australia and he'll be keen to bounce back over here. So it's amazing how little things can get cut up, but he's a class player and he's played well in Australia in the past," Ponting said on Channel Seven.
The first Test between India and Australia is scheduled to take place at the Optus Stadium in Perth from November 22 onwards.