‘That is a bad move, Ricky’: Shane Lee fears Ricky Ponting’s words could get Virat Kohli fired up

“What are you doing? You are going to occurrence that feline up. He is simply a satellite people subordinate and helium volition occurrence up retired here.”

Ricky Ponting, successful the ICC review, has questioned Kohli’s form, who has lone managed 2 centuries and 11 half-centuries successful his past 60 Test innings and successful the six Tests successful 2024, has averaged lone 22.72.

“I saw a stat the different time astir Virat—it said he’s lone scored 2 Test hundreds successful the past 5 years. That didn’t look close to me, but if that is accurate, past that’s, I mean, that’s a concern. There astir apt wouldn’t beryllium anyone other inactive playing planetary cricket arsenic a top-order batsman who’s lone scored 2 Test lucifer hundreds successful 5 years,” Ponting had said.

However, Lee feels it volition beryllium a spicy Test bid betwixt the 2 countries.

Virat Kohli has reportedly undergone scans for a mysterious injury. (BCCI)

“I deliberation it is going to beryllium a fantastic series. I deliberation determination is going to beryllium a spot of spice successful this series, decidedly with the ball-tampering issues successful and astir the India A team, and peculiarly present that Ricky Ponting has present travel retired and fixed it to Kohli,” helium said.

Lee expects India to bounce backmost successful Australia pursuing their Test bid nonaccomplishment astatine location against New Zealand and has predicted a 2-2 gully result.

“We person a world-class onslaught with (Mitchell) Starc, (Pat) Cummins, (Josh) Hazlewood, and (Nathan) Lyon. I mean, ‘c’mon’. It doesn’t get overmuch amended than that,” helium said.

Captaining the Australia A side, McSweeney scored 14 and 25 successful the 2nd circuit crippled against India A successful Melbourne past week. (AP)

“(But) our batting is fragile. It is astir apt 1 of the weaker batting line-ups I person seen for an Australian Test broadside successful a agelong while. (Nathan) McSweeney is going to travel successful and helium is nether pressure, due to the fact that helium has ne'er batted arsenic an opener, and I deliberation that is simply a specializer position.

“(Usman) Khawaja is the standout for maine (for Australia) astatine the moment. He is going to play truly well. (Marnus) Labuschagne, for me, has been retired of signifier for a while, arsenic has Steve Smith.

“It is going to travel down to our batting and however good we tin grip pressure, peculiarly with (Jasprit) Bumrah and their gait onslaught steaming successful erstwhile the wicket is doing a bit.”