A “shocked” Ricky Ponting is struggling to grasp how India’s “A team” overwhelmed Australia within the Test collection in their very own yard.
Hit by a spate accidents, India competed with out many a key gamers, but downed Australia by three wickets within the series-deciding fourth Test on the Gabba, a month after the Adelaide debacle the place they scored their lowest Test rating of 36.
“I’m quite shocked that Australia weren’t quite good enough to win this series. The cold hard facts of it are pretty much that was the India A team that played this Test match and still won,” Ponting instructed cricket.com.au.
“Considering all the pieces the Indian crew has been via within the final 5 or 6 weeks, with the captain leaving, all of the accidents they’ve had, they’ve been via 20 gamers, (Australia) have been at full-strength, bar Davey (Warner) lacking early on, so it’s actually onerous to grasp.
“It’s probably not even (India’s) second-picked team because you think of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ishant Sharma and those guys who didn’t even make it out here. Rohit Sharma turns up for the last two Test matches only.”
Ponting mentioned India gained all the important thing moments all through the collection and that was the distinction between the 2 sides.
“They’ve played really good, tough, hard Test match cricket day-in and day-out. India have won all the big moments in every Test match and Australia have fallen short. That’s been the difference between the two teams.”
“They (India) have done it really well and they thoroughly deserve to win the series … because (of) how resilient they’ve been.”
The legendary batsman, who coached Delhi Capitals within the final IPL within the UAE, mentioned all of the setbacks India needed to take care of confirmed the depth and the expertise the nation has.
“Washington Sundar looked like he had played 50 Test matches through the course of this game and never looked out of place,” Ponting mentioned.
“Shardul Thakur was the identical in his second Test match, picked up seven wickets and scored 60-odd useful runs within the first innings.
“I’ve been around the IPL a long time so I know the talent that they do have in India, but when you’ve got to step up on a big stage in a Test match against Australia it’s a different story.”
He mentioned Australia must be involved {that a} depleted Indian crew was ok to beat them.
“We gave Australia the good thing about doubt the final time India had been right here as a result of Warner and (Steve) Smith weren’t there. But this time, Australia’s at full power and India are on the bones of their squad, they’re taking part in internet bowlers in Test matches and so they’re nonetheless profitable. That’s the fear for Australia.
“We’re probably digging deeper than even an Indian A team and they’ve still been good enough to win two Test matches here in Australia, and good enough to win one in Brisbane, which just doesn’t happen,” Ponting mentioned.
