Perth, November 20 (IANS). Former captain Ricky Ponting has compared the rivalry between Australia and India to the Ashes, saying that these two series are the battle of world cricket which everyone is eager to watch.
The Ashes has been going on for 142 years, under which 345 Test matches have been played. Australia has won 142 matches, while England has won 110 matches. On the other hand, the Border–Gavaskar Trophy began in 1996/97, with India winning 24 matches and Australia emerging victorious on 20 occasions.
“Australia-England, with the Ashes history, but Australia-India is not far behind that and it has been around for a long time,” Ponting said on the ICC Review Show. I think we all look forward to these kinds of fights. As a former player and a commentator, I want both these teams to come out on the field and play hard and fair and then see who survives the next five matches.
India have won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on four previous occasions since 2016/17 – in both home and away conditions. The trophy, named after the first two batsmen of their respective countries – Allan Border and Sunil Gavaskar, will be available to be won again in the first Test match between India and Australia in Perth on November 22.
He is hopeful that the upcoming series, which will be followed by matches in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, will provide exciting and competitive cricket. “I don’t know if spice is the right word, but I expect the game to be almost thrilling, if you like, with the two best teams in the world not wanting to give each other an inch of space.”
“We don’t want to give even an inch to the opposition, don’t want to lose a single match in the entire five Test matches. And I think that’s the beauty of this great rivalry we have in the world game. I have spent the last few days in Australia. -Talked about the Test match between India and India, it is the biggest rivalry in world sport, and not just in cricket.”
–IANS
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