The war of words between Gautam Gambhir and Ricky Ponting continues with the Australia great saying that the India coach is frightened ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Gambhir and Ponting’s feud started when the former Aussie captain had criticised Virat Kohli’s form in recent times.
The comments didn’t sit well with Gambhir and the India coach would lay into the Australia great by saying what he had to do with Indian cricket. Ponting would respond to the comments by calling Gambhir a ‘prickly character’ and offering a clarification about his comments. Speaking on the podcast show ‘The Run Home with Joel & Fletch’, Ponting said that Gambhir was just trying to throw him into the deep end with his comments.
“I’m not sure if I mentioned a couple of them, but I reckon he’s just throwing me in the deep end, trying to find their two most experienced and make sure when they come out, they put that back on me,” said Gambhir.
Ponting feels Gambhir misinterpreted his comments
Speaking about his previous comments, Ponting said that at the press conference the second part of his comments about Kohli that he loves playing in Australia was omitted and a ‘frightened’ Gambhir would go to fire back at him.
“I was asked the other night if I was concerned about Virat Kohli’s form. A day before, I had read his stats from the last five years, so it was clear in my mind. I think he made only two (three) centuries in the last five years. His average in India is now down to 30 from 90, during this period. So yes, I would be concerned. And I said if you ask him about his form, he would be concerned because it is nowhere near what it used to be. But then I said since he loves playing in Australia and has a great record here, so if there ever was a tour where he could turn things around, it would be this.”
“But they never talked about the second part. Then Gambhir went and faced the press, having just lost against New Zealand. The hair on the back of his neck is already standing up. We got a bit of history as well, but he took a chance to fire back at me,” he added.
The first Test between India and Australia will begin on November 22 in Perth.
