In a daring forecast for the next Border-Gavaskar Trophy, former Australia captain Ricky Ponting said that his team will win a series 3-1, even if India may win a match.

On November 22, India and Australia will begin their next five-match Test series. From November 22 to January 7, 2025, India and Australia will play in Perth, Adelaide (in a pink-ball match), Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney as part of the series. The past two times the Border-Gavaskar Trophy was contested in Australia, in 2018-19 and 2020-21, India prevailed. Furthermore, Australia hasn’t won the series since they triumphed 2-0 at home in 2014-15.

Ponting is certain that Australia will dominate the next series after India’s recent series loss to New Zealand. He said that India will have a harder time taking the 20 wickets needed to win a Test match in Australia without top bowler Mohammed Shami.

Regarding Australia’s prospects against India, Ponting said, “Probably more so now (than before),” during an episode of The ICC Review. “(Mohammed) Shami just leaves that bowling group with a huge vacancy. In August of that year, there was still considerable speculation over Shami’s suitability.

“I believe that India’s greatest obstacle will be capturing 20 wickets in a Test match. With their present lineup of hitters, I believe they’ll bat effectively enough out here,” he said.

Including their historic series in 2020–21, when Rishabh Pant played an incredible knock of 89 not out at Gabba and seized the win in style to break Australia’s 32-year undefeated streak at their stronghold, India has maintained the championship in the previous four BGT (home and away).

The legendary Australian, however, believes that Pat Cummins’ squad will win the series 3-1 since they are a formidable opponent at home.

Ponting said, “I believe India will win a Test match somewhere out of the five Test matches.” Although we know that Australia is a very difficult team to defeat at home, I still believe that they seem a little more relaxed and seasoned now. Thus, I’ll continue with the 3-1,” he said.

Ponting said, “I’m going to go with either Steve Smith or Rishabh Pant as the leading run scorer,” in reference to who the series’ top scorer may be.

He believed that Steve Smith’s probable return to No. 4 from the top of the order improves his chances of doing well in the Test series.

The fact that Smith dropped from the top spot to number four suggests that he has more work to do, in my opinion.that maybe he shouldn’t have gone up to open in the first place, and that his position is No. 4, where he should have been all along and where his career is most likely to have ended,” Ponting said.

However, Ponting hasn’t ruled out Pant overtaking Smith at the top of that list.”And since Rishabh is back in the lineup and will likely bat in the middle order when the ball has likely lost some of its hardness and shine, along with his current form, I’ll go for him as one of the top run scorers as well,” he said.

Ponting favored seasoned seamer Josh Hazlewood to lead the wickets chart among the bowlers.

“Out of the Australian quicks, I believe Hazlewood is now at the top of his game more than the other ones. Ponting said, “I’ll choose him for the top wicket-taker.