Ravi Shastri hits back at Ricky Ponting to intensify Border-Gavaskar Trophy rivalry

Former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri, who guided the team to historic Test victories in Australia, has ignited a fresh wave of excitement as they gear up for their upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 Down Under.

The anticipation is intense, with India’s upcoming tour of Australia for the five-match Test series promising to be yet another chapter in a gripping saga. Well, the Indian cricket team's Test series victories in Australia in 2018-19 and 2020-21 were nothing short of sensational, each against the odds.

Ravi Shastri sparks excitement for Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25

India’s 2018-19 Test series win was initially described as an accidental triumph, while the 2020-21 series saw the tourists bounce back from the humiliating defeat in Adelaide and lift the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. They stunned the world by winning the trophy with a second-string team.

As India prepares for a potential hat-trick of Test series wins, the stakes are higher than ever. With just two months to go before the first Test, Australian greats like Ricky Ponting and Geoff Lawson have already begun their psychological warfare, confidently predicting an easy win for Australia.

But India isn’t taking these taunts lightly, as the legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar countered the Australian bravado with his own bold predictions. The former Indian captain predicted a 3-1 series win for India, and now giving it back to Ponting and Lawson, Shastri echoed similar sentiments.

Shastri has taken a sharp aim at the Australian team, as he pointed out that their batting lineup, once a fearsome force, now bears the marks of transition and retirement. With several key players either retired or nearing the end of their careers, Shastri believes this could be India’s moment to record a hat-trick of Border-Gavaskar Trophy triumphs in Australia.

India has great chance to record hat-trick of Test series wins in Australia: Ravi Shastri

Despite acknowledging the challenge that Australia presents on their home turf, the former Indian head coach remained optimistic about India’s chances in the upcoming Test series. Ravi Shastri emphasized that India's bowlers are in peak condition and ready to exploit any weaknesses in the Australian lineup in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.

Ravi Shastri was quoted as saying by Mid-Day: “Our bowlers are fit… that’s a challenge for Australia. The Australian batting lineup is not what it used to be. There is a lot of inexperience out there. There are players who have retired or at the end of their careers. A lot of players have to settle down in the Australian team and make a mark. So, the opportunity [to win again] is there, but Australia in Australia will compete. No question about that.”

For Ravi Shastri, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy may not carry the same weight as a World Cup but holds a special place in his heart. The former Indian skipper insisted that these victories were the highlights of his coaching career, saying these wins were more special than winning the 1983 World Cup.

Ravi Shastri signed off by saying, “I have been part of a World Cup-winning team in 1983 World Cup -winning side. I have called World Cup games, but those two wins in Australia are 24-carat.”