Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting was asked about the growing popularity of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and whether it had surpassed the Ashes. Ricky Ponting said that there was no doubt that the BGT was growing by leaps and bounds, but the fans will get to know which series is more popular when England visit Australia later in 2025.
Ricky Ponting has shed light on the challenges awaiting Australia after their recent success in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series against India.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy saw a record crowd attend all five matches of the series. The bilateral series shattered the records to become the most attended non-Ashes series in the history of Australian cricket. A total of 837,879 people attended the games in the stadiums, which awed the commentators during the tenure of the series.
Australia celebrated a historic 3-1 series victory over India, reclaiming the prestigious Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 for the first time in a decade. The triumph, sealed with a six-wicket win in the final Test, ended India’s 10-year dominance in this marquee contest. It marked a pivotal moment for the Australian cricket team, a testament to their grit, determination, and hunger to restore their supremacy in red-ball cricket after enduring several setbacks in this fiercely contested rivalry.
The turning point for Australia against India in BGT 2024-25
The series began on a rocky note for the Australians in Perth, where India delivered a commanding performance. Jasprit Bumrah’s fiery spells exposed weaknesses in Australia’s batting lineup, while Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli compiled brilliant centuries to hand India a comfortable win.
This initial loss not only dented Australia’s morale but also triggered intense introspection within the team. Questions surrounding their approach, readiness, and execution dominated discussions, both inside the dressing room and in cricketing circles. The defeat was a wake-up call that ultimately fueled Australia’s resurgence.
Australia’s turnaround began with a dominant display in the pink-ball Test in Adelaide. The home side showcased their ability to thrive under pressure, leveling the series with a clinical victory. The third Test in Brisbane ended in a hard-fought draw, but it was the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne that truly defined Australia’s resurgence.
A commanding performance in both batting and bowling allowed them to take control of the series. By the time the final Test in Sydney arrived, Australia were brimming with confidence, securing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with an emphatic display under Pat Cummins.
The series win was particularly significant as it ended India’s 10-year reign over the BGT. Australia had last won the trophy during the 2014-15 season, defeating India 2-0 in a four-match series at home. Since then, India had claimed four consecutive series victories, including two on Australian soil – historic triumphs that solidified their reputation as one of the strongest Test sides. Reclaiming the trophy in 2024 was not just about breaking the streak but re-establishing Australia’s position as a powerhouse in Test cricket,
Beyond the BGT, this series victory also ensured Australia’s qualification for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. This marks their second consecutive WTC final appearance, where they are set to face South Africa. The team’s ability to dominate in the longest format reflects their consistency and adaptability across challenging conditions. The WTC final offers Australia a golden opportunity to assert their dominance on the global stage, following their redemption arc against India.
While the victory against India was a monumental achievement, Australian cricket legend Ricky Ponting issued a sobering reminder about the challenges ahead. Ponting highlighted the aging composition of the Australian side, pointing out that the team largely comprises players in their 30s, with only one teenager among them. He emphasized that this success, while remarkable, must not overshadow the need to prepare for the future.
Ricky Ponting on next assignment after Australia’s BGT 2024-25 series victory
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has identified the next challenge for the national team after winning the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India. He observed that Australia have too many aging players in their line-up and must take steps to phase them out carefully.
The average age of the players in Australia’s recent squad to face India in the five-Test series was well above 30. Sam Konstas, who replaced Nathan McSweeney since the fourth Test of the series, was the only cricketer to be aged 19.
Speaking on the latest episode of the ICC Review, Ricky Ponting elaborated about Australia’s squad:
“There’s not one player in their 20s in that team. You’ve got one at 19 and everyone else over 30. That’s going to be the next challenge for this Australian group. That’s going to be the next challenge for this Australian group, not just for the Australian team, but for Australian cricket is to bring on this new group of young players. There’s not many opportunities that present themselves.”
Nevertheless, the seniors stepped up in their pursuit to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time since the 2014-15 series. The likes of Pat Cummins, Steve Smith, and Scott Boland played instrumental roles in helping their side win the five-match series 3-1.
“If they are looking at bringing young players in, it probably needs to start in Sri Lanka and the West Indies” – Ricky Ponting
Ponting reckons the Sri Lanka tour might not be the best tour to blood young players, given the enormous spin challenges the country represents. He added in the aforementioned interview:
“We’ve got a tour to Sri Lanka and then the West Indies coming up before the Ashes next summer. If they are looking at bringing young players in, it probably needs to start in Sri Lanka and the West Indies. And if you’re bringing young players into the Sri Lankan tour, that’s not going to be an easy place for anyone to start.”
The 50-year-old went on to elaborate that Australia picked themselves up quite well from their demoralizing 295-run loss to India in Perth. He further labeled the break ahead of the Adelaide Test as a massive game-changer.
“When I look back to the start of this series and just look how far off the mark the Aussies were in that first game, I think there was a lot of criticism that was flying around about the team. It almost looked a little un-Australian. When you lose a Test match like that against another very strong opposition side, you do have to do a bit of soul searching and do a lot of talking. I think one of the things that probably helped the Aussies was the big break between the first two games,” Ponting concluded.
Although India lost the series, Jasprit Bumrah earned the Player of the Series award for his 32 wickets. Concluding Ricky Ponting stressed that tours to Sri Lanka and the West Indies, scheduled before the Ashes, present critical opportunities to blood young talent. However, he also acknowledged the complexity of such transitions, particularly in challenging environments like Sri Lanka’s spin-friendly conditions.