Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has voiced his faith in struggling India captain Suryakumar Yadav before the T20 World Cup, scheduled to start on February 7. Despite a challenging performance in 2025, during which Suryakumar Yadav accumulated only 218 runs in 19 innings with a strike rate of 123.16, Ponting encouraged the Indian batter to have faith in his inherent style and continue his attacking mindset.
Ricky Ponting Backs Suryakumar Yadav, Praises Axar Patel, Reacts to Gill Snub
“That’s just as much of a shock to me, considering his recent performance.” “He’s been a reliable and steady performer for India in T20 cricket for quite some time, but he has struggled to rediscover his form recently,” Ponting said to ICC. He mentioned, “He’s a fascinating player because when I’ve watched him at his best, he takes six, eight, or ten balls to settle in and then just unleashes everything.”
Ponting emphasized Suryakumar Yadav’s bold approach, drawing a comparison to Australia’s Travis Head. “He executes all his shots confidently, similar to Travis Head, as if they never worry about getting dismissed,” he remarked. “That’s what I would tell him.” I’d suggest focusing on making runs, rather than worrying about getting out. Believe in yourself, support yourself. You have demonstrated that you’re as skilled as anyone globally in the T20 format; now go and show it to everyone again.
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Why Ricky Ponting Praised Axar Patel as India’s T20 World Cup Vice-Captain
The ex-Aussie legend also commended India’s choice to name 31-year-old Axar Patel as vice-captain for the T20 World Cup. Ponting praised Patel’s adaptability, stating, “I mean, really, Patel has been their main guy, hasn’t he? In the recent series, he has served as their pinch hitter on various occasions.
They’ve moved him up the order to bat at number three. Whenever they’ve required that left-hand, right-hand pairing, he’s been the one to step up and attempt it for them, and he’s clearly very reliable with his left-arm off-spin too.
Ricky Ponting Reacts to Shubman Gill’s Omission from India’s T20 World Cup Squad
Ponting acknowledged his surprise regarding the omission of India’s ODI and Test skipper Shubman Gill from the T20 team. Gill, who has faced difficulties in recent white-ball matches, has accumulated 291 runs in 15 innings, with a top score of 47. “Absolutely, I was shocked by that,” Ponting stated while guesting on The ICC Review with host Sanjana Ganesan. He stated, “I understand his recent performance hasn’t been impressive in limited-overs cricket.” The most recent time I watched him play extensively was during the Test series in the UK against England, where his batting was the best I’ve ever witnessed.
Although he was taken aback, Ponting commended India’s batting depth, indicating that omitting Gill illustrates the squad’s strength. “I’m surprised, for one, but two, it demonstrates the richness of Indian cricket,” he clarified. “If you consider that someone as talented as Shubman Gill isn’t selected for a World Cup team, it highlights just how many exceptional players are available.”
Ponting’s remarks emphasize his view that although personal performance may vary, trusting one’s instincts and utilizing team strength are crucial in high-stress competitions such as the T20 World Cup.