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Gautam Gambhir (Source: X)
The war of words between Gautam Gambhir and Ricky Ponting was seen a few days ago when the Indian head coach flinched hearing the former Australian batter's comments on senior Indian players. Ponting made a comment on Virat Kohli's declining form, which didn't sit well with the Indian head coach.
He went on to take a jibe at Ponting and said, 'he should focus on Australia.' Siding with the Australian legend, wicket-keeper batter Tim Paine felt Gambhir's attitude wasn't necessary since Ponting is no longer his rival but a commentator who is 'paid to give opinions.'
He said, "I think he’s maybe looking at Ricky still as someone he’s playing against, but Ricky is a commentator now – he’s paid to give an opinion, and his opinion was spot on. Virat has been sliding, it is a concern, absolutely. But for me now, the biggest concern for India right now isn’t Rohit Sharma’s batting, isn’t Virat Kohli’s batting, it’s their coach and his ability to stay calm under pressure."
India's upcoming series is a real test for the players and their intent since the Australian team is pumped up and will be looking forward to taking vengeance. It's been a long since Australia have won the BGT and this factor will play a huge role in the 5-match Test series. Pat Cummins and his lads have openly challenged the visitors to quieten them during the series, increasing the entertainment and thrill for the audience.
KL Rahul, Shubman Gill injured ahead of 1st Test match in Perth
The injury scare isn't ending for India as KL Rahul and Shubman Gill got injured during the intra-squad stimulation match. Gill suffered from a finger injury, which might rule him out of the first Test match in Perth. He's the No.3 batter of India, who has done pretty well in the previous games. This might be a huge blow for India as Rohit Sharma's participation is already in doubt.
Apart from him, KL Rahul was also hit on the elbows during the game and he left the field for a certain amount of time. This is a problematic situation for the team, considering the importance of the series. The management will have to take care of the situation before it gets worse.