Ricky Ponting praised the experience of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as the backbone of India’s success in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. However, he also highlighted the important contributions of India’s all-rounders, saying they played a crucial role throughout the tournament. Ponting said in an interview with ICC Review, “Their all-rounders were outstanding right through the tournament. Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Hardik Pandya were all exceptional. I mentioned at the start of the tournament that India would be tough to beat due to their balance and the mix of youth and experience, and once again, in the final, the captain stood up and led his team to victory.”
India’s batting depth was impressive, with three all-rounders—Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja—featured in the playing XI for all five games of the Champions Trophy. This gave India multiple options with both bat and ball. Ponting said, “They were already a well-balanced team, but having so many all-rounders made them even stronger. With Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, and Jadeja, they had a good mix of batting and bowling options. Axar Patel even batted higher up the order on several occasions, providing a left-handed option.”
Ricky Ponting also noted that while India’s fast bowling department appeared a little light, it didn’t affect their performance. “India probably looked a bit light on fast bowling, but in the end, they didn’t need it,” he said. He praised Pandya’s role, saying, “Hardik Pandya’s role was important, especially with the new ball. He bowled early overs, which helped the spinners later in the Powerplay and the middle overs. This made things easier for the spinners, who did most of the bowling in the middle of the game.”
Ricky Ponting gave special credit to Axar Patel, who was an essential part of India’s squad, often coming in at No.5. “Axar Patel deserves a lot of credit for his performance. His bowling was very consistent and solid throughout the tournament,” Ricky Ponting said. “Also, some of his little cameos with the bat, like steadying the ship and making things easier for the lower order—KL Rahul, Pandya, and Jadeja—were very important. He really deserves praise for his contributions during the tournament.”
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