Legendary Australian captain Ricky Ponting has endorsed left-arm seamer Khaleel Ahmed for inclusion in the Indian squad for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series 2024-25. This endorsement comes as a significant vote of confidence, given that Khaleel recently marked his return to the Indian team after a nearly five-year hiatus during the tour of Zimbabwe.
Khaleel Ahmed made a notable comeback in limited-overs cricket, picking up three wickets across three T20I matches against Zimbabwe, with an average of 25 and an economy rate of 6.81. His performance in the IPL 2024 was particularly impressive, as he claimed 17 wickets in 14 matches while playing for Delhi Capitals under Ponting's coaching.
Ponting, who has observed Khaleel's progress closely, believes the left-arm seamer could be a valuable addition to the Indian Test squad. "Someone like Khaleel Ahmed I think could find himself on the Test tour. I know he's just been over in Zimbabwe recently and played that (T20I) series over there, but a left-armer would be ideal for them to have in their touring squad,” Ponting mentioned in an ICC review.
In First-Class cricket, Khaleel has accumulated 25 wickets from 12 matches at an average of 35 and an economy rate of 2.95. He has recorded two four-wicket hauls, showcasing his potential and experience at the domestic level.
Ponting also expressed high regard for India's current fast-bowling lineup, including Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, and Jasprit Bumrah. "Shami will be back fit by then, Siraj we know will be there abouts somewhere and obviously Bumrah is going nowhere. So both teams are going to line up really, really strongly,” Ponting added, highlighting the competitive nature of the series.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 series is set to be historic, as it will be the first time since the 1991-92 season that India and Australia will play a five-Test series. The series is scheduled to commence on November 22 at Perth Stadium, with the remaining matches to be held in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.
In preparation for the series, India will play a two-day game against the Prime Minister’s XI at Manuka Oval, gearing up for the day/night Test in Adelaide. India, having won the last two series in Australia and remaining unbeaten in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy since 2017, will look to extend their successful run under the leadership of Rohit Sharma.
