'Gautam Gambhir is already frightened' - Ricky Ponting takes a fresh jibe ahead of BGT

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, on Wednesday, took another jibe at India head coach Gautam Gambhir as their feud continued over his comments on Virat Kohli's form heading into the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as well. Reiterating his “prickly character” remark, Ricky Ponting said a “frightened” Gautam Gambhir only took a jibe at him in the wake of India's Test series whitewash at home against New Zealand earlier this month as well.

Virat Kohli had a poor series against New Zealand

Speaking on the podcast show 'The Run Home with Joel & Fletch,' hours after clarifying his statement on Kohli's form, Ponting said, “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.”

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However, Ricky Ponting once again shared that while he was concerned about Virat Kohli's form as he scored only three centuries in the last five years, where his home average dropped to almost 30, he also felt that the Australia tour could just set up the perfect platform for him to prove his critics wrong as well.

Ricky Ponting concerned about Virat Kohli's form

“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 concluded.