Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting feels a drawn Test series against a severely depleted India will be a worse result for the hosts than the loss they suffered at home in the Border Gavaskar Trophy two years ago.
The injury-ravaged Indian team has shown great resilience and grit throughout the current tour of Australia. In the ongoing fourth and final Test, the tourists are without their premier fast bowlers, skipper Virat Kohli and a few specialist batsmen. “I think a drawn series will be worse than the loss a couple of years ago,” Ponting told cricket.Com.Au.
“That’s the way I look at it, considering how hard India have found it going through 20 players in a series, (Australia) having (David) Warner back for the last couple of games, (Steve) Smith back for all them that they didn’t have last time around.
“A draw would not only feel like a loss to them but be a worse result than last series,” he added.
The series is locked 1-1 at the moment. India need 324 runs with all 10 wickets in hand on the final day to pull off a historic win at the Gabba, while a draw will also see them retain the trophy.