Gautam Gambhir was a very competitive cricketer during his career. The aggressive left-handed batsman never shied away from having a conversation on the field. Gambhir wore his heart on his sleeves and never backed down from any sort of challenges. He was involved in many infamous sledges in his career with like of Shane Watson, Kamran Akmal and Shahid Afridi.
Gambhir was recently asked about the cricketer he enjoyed sledging the most in his career. The former career had a surprising answer as he took the name of Former Aussie captain Ricky Ponting. He too was an aggressive player much like Gambhir and was always in the face of the opposition.
You have been a bunny – Gautam Gambhir on Ricky Ponting
Gambhir recalled the 2008 Test series between the two nations in which he had scored a double ton at his home ground. In one of the Test matches, Ponting sledged Gambhir while fielding at the silly point position. After this Gautam Gambhir reminded Ricky Ponting about his ordinary Test career he had in India. The legendary Australian batsman always struggled on spinning pitches and throughout his career weren’t able to score big in India.
On the player he enjoyed sledging the most he said, “Ricky Ponting, maybe. That was in 2008 when Anil Kumble was the captain. In the series when I got my double hundred. In the first Test match, I think which was in Bengaluru, he said something when I was batting”.
“He was at silly point, and he said ‘you haven’t set the world on fire’. I said ‘Neither have you in India. To be honest, you have been a bunny’. His record says that as well, he’s been a bunny in India”, the 38-year-old recalled on Star Sports show ‘Cricket Connected’.
Ricky Ponting overall had an average of 51.85 in his illustrious Test career, but in India, he only averaged 26.48. He had only scored 1 Test hundred in India and struggled against spin especially Harbhajan Singh. Ponting had a slightly better ODI record in India as he averaged 39.45 with 5 tons.