"I'll stick with the 3-1" - Ricky Ponting doubles down on his prediction for Border-Gavaskar trophy 2024-25

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has doubled down on his prediction for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, saying he will stick by his earlier forecast of 3-1 in the hosts' favor. Ponting believes the biggest challenge for India is taking 20 wickets, especially given the absence of Mohammed Shami.

Shami, one of India's first-choice pacers, is yet to regain full fitness and his comeback is likely to be delayed until the following year. While Jasprit Bumrah will lead India's bowling attack, the selectors have named Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, and Prasidh Krishna as the other fast bowlers in the squad.

Speaking on the latest episode of the ICC Review, Ponting backed the Indian batters to do well and opined that the tourists will eke out at least one win in the series.

"Probably more so now (than before). (Mohammed) Shami just leaves such a big hole in that bowling group. Back then (in August) there was still some conjecture whether Shami would be fit or not. I think taking 20 wickets in a Test match for India is going to be the biggest challenge. I think they'll bat well enough out here with the current group of batters that they've got."

"I think India will win a Test match somewhere through the five Test matches. But I still think now, Australia probably look a bit more settled, a bit more experienced and we know that they're a very hard team to beat at home. So I'll stick with the 3-1," he added.

India are coming on the back of a humiliating 3-0 series whitewash at home against New Zealand. Having lost all three Tests to the Kiwis, India will need an improbable 4-0 result Down Under to progress to the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

Ricky Ponting predicts the top run-getters in Border-Gavaskar trophy 2024-25

Rishabh Pant. (Image Credits: Getty)

Ponting has backed Steve Smith and Rishabh Pant to be the leading run-getters in the upcoming series. The 49-year-old believes Smith returning to No. 4 should be a productive move and reckons Pant will play a vital role when the ball loses its shine.

In the same interview, he said:

"Leading run scorer, I'm going to go - Steve Smith or Rishabh Pant. I think Smith, the fact that he's moved back down from opener to No.4 probably makes it feel like he's got more of a point to prove…that maybe he shouldn't have gone up to open in the first place and that No.4 is his spot and where he should have probably been the whole time and where he probably finished his career now."

"And with Rishabh back in the side and probably coming into bat in the middle order when the ball's probably lost a bit of its shine and a bit of its hardness and the form that he's in, I'll go for him as one of the leading run scorers as well," he added.

Pant played a critical role in helping India win the last two series in Australia.