Not Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma: Ricky Ponting picks the batter who will score most runs for India in Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Ricky Ponting's conviction about Australia emerging victorious in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) against India has strengthened, as the former skipper stuck to his previous prediction in an interview with the International Cricket Council (ICC).
In August this year, Ponting had predicted Australia to win the series 3-1, and he is now even more convinced about it after the chances of veteran pacer Mohammad Shami making a comeback during the series virtually ended.

Shami has reportedly picked up a side strain, which will further delay his return following an ankle surgery and rehab; and Ponting feels taking 20 wickets in a Test in Australia will be tough for India, despite having vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah as their bowling spearhead.
"Shami just leaves such a big hole in that bowling group," Ponting told the ICC. "Back then (in August) there was still some conjecture whether Shami would be fit or not. Taking 20 wickets in a Test match for India is going to be the biggest challenge. I think they'll bat well enough out here with the current group of batters that they've got."
Compounding India's problems could be their lack of confidence after a historic 0-3 whitewash at home by New Zealand. But Ponting says the visitors might win one of the five Tests.

"I think India will win a Test match somewhere through the five Test matches," Ponting predicted.
"But I still think now, Australia probably look a bit more settled, a bit more experienced and we know that they're a very hard team to beat at home. So I'll stick with the 3-1 (prediction)."
Ponting, who will be coaching Punjab Kings in IPL 2025 after his long stint with the Delhi Capitals, was also asked who according to him could lead the run-scoring charts in the series.
He mentioned a couple of names -- one from each team.
"Leading run scorer, I'm going to go (with) Steve Smith or Rishabh Pant," said Ponting.

Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant emerged as the top run-scorer during India's recent Test series against New Zealand. The series, which saw India struggle, concluded with New Zealand winning 1-0.
Pant scored 261 runs across six innings, averaging 43.50 runs per innings. His performance included three scores of fifty or more runs, with a highest score of 99 runs. This follows Pant's strong performance in his previous Test series, where he scored 161 runs in two matches against Bangladesh.
India's performance in the New Zealand series was marked by inconsistency. The team suffered a significant setback during the Bengaluru Test, recording their lowest ever Test score at home.

"With Rishabh back in the side and probably coming into bat in the middle order when the ball's probably lost a bit of its shine and a bit of its hardness and the form that he's in, I'll go for him as one of the leading run-scorers as well," said Pointing.
On Smith, he said: "I think Smith, the fact that he's moved back down from opener to No. 4 probably makes it feel like he's got more of a point to prove...that maybe he shouldn't have gone up to open in the first place and that No. 4 is his spot and where he should have probably been the whole time."
The first Test of the series begins in Perth on November 22.