"That's what superstar players generate and create all around the world" - Ricky Ponting on Virat Kohli's popularity in Australia ahead of BGT 2024-25
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has opened up on Virat Kohli's popularity Down Under ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Ponting suggested that Kohli has earned it, having played well in his previous tours to Australia.
Despite being short of runs and in poor form recently, Kohli remains the man the hosts are wary of. The right-handed batter averages 54.08 in Tests in Australia in 13 matches alongside 1352 runs.
On an episode of the ICC Review, Ponting said he was not surprised to see Kohli receiving this reception in Australia. The 49-year-old also looked back at the antagonistic reception that Steve Smith gets in England, claiming it's all part of the theatre.
"That's what superstar players generate and create all around the world. And there's lots of different degrees of that. You talk about the media here and the following that Virat has in Australia. That’s on the back of having been here and played well in the past. You think about other players like when Steve Smith goes to the UK and gets booed when he walks onto the ground. I mean, that’s all part of, I guess, the theatre that comes with international sports,” Ponting claimed.
Due to Kohli's declining numbers every year, this could be his final tour of Australia. The veteran batter struggled in the recent home series against New Zealand, aggregating only 93 runs in six innings.
"I expect the game to be played sort of almost on the edge" - Ricky Ponting
While Ponting doesn't expect verbal altercations during the Test series, he sees the matches in high-octane skillsets. The Tasmanian said both teams will not want to give their opposition even an inch, adding in the same interaction:
"I don't know if spice is the right word, but I expect the game to be played sort of almost on the edge, if you like, with two of the best teams in the world not wanting to give an inch to each other. Not wanting to give an inch to the opposition, not wanting to lose a single contest through the course of those whole five Test matches. And I think that's the beauty about these great rivalries we have in world sport."
The stakes will be high, especially for Australia, who haven't beaten India in the last four series.