Ricky Ponting praises Virat Kohli's evolution and style in the second innings ahead of pink-ball Test at Adelaide

Melbourne [Australia]: Leading up to the second Test of the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Adelaide, legendary cricketer Ricky Ponting praised Virat Kohli for his game-changing innings in the second innings in Perth, showcasing his intent and determination. Kohli broke his century drought with an impressive unbeaten 100, marking his first Test century since July 2023 and his third in a span of five years.

The second Test, scheduled to take place from December 6 to 10 at the Adelaide Oval, will feature the day-night format under lights.

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transform: rotate(32deg); animation: shinerMooving 3s infinite; z-index: 1; filter: blur(1px); } @keyframes shinerMooving { 0% { left: -40px; } 100% { left: 150%; } } Top 15 buys at IPL 2025 Auction Rishabh Pant ₹ 27 Cr DC LSG Total Match 111 Total Runs 3284 Highest Score 128 runs Shreyas Iyer ₹ 26.75 Cr KKR PBKS Total Match 115 Total Runs 3127 Highest Score 96 runs Venkatesh Iyer ₹ 23.75 Cr KKR KKR Total Match 50 Total Runs 1326 Highest Score 104 runs Wickets 3 Best Bowling 2/29 Arshdeep Singh ₹ 18 Cr PBKS PBKS Total Match 65 Total Runs 29 Highest Score 10 runs Wickets 76 Best Bowling 5/32 Yuzvendra Chahal ₹ 18 Cr RR PBKS Total Match 260 Total Runs 37 Highest Score 8 runs Wickets 205 Best Bowling 5/40 Jos Buttler ₹ 15.75 Cr RR GT Total Match 107 Total Runs 3582 Highest Score 124 runs KL Rahul ₹ 14 Cr LSG DC Total Match 132 Total Runs 4683 Highest Score 132 runs Trent Boult ₹ 12.50 Cr RR MI Total Match 104 Total Runs 83 Highest Score 17 runs Wickets 121 Best Bowling 4/18 Jofra Archer ₹ 12.50 Cr MI RR Total Match 35 Total Runs 195 Highest Score 27 runs Wickets 46 Best Bowling 3/15 Josh Hazlewood ₹ 12.50 Cr RCB RCB Total Match 12 Total Runs - Highest Score - Wickets 12 Best Bowling 3/24 Mohammed Siraj ₹ 12.25 Cr RCB GT Total Match 93 Total Runs 109 Highest Score 14 runs Wickets 93 Best Bowling 4/21 Mitchell Starc ₹ 11.75 Cr KKR DC Total Match 41 Total Runs 105 Highest Score 29 runs Wickets 51 Best Bowling 4/15 Phil Salt ₹ 11.50 Cr DC RCB Total Match 21 Total Runs 653 Highest Score 89 runs Ishan Kishan ₹ 11.25 Cr MI SRH Total Match 105 Total Runs 2644 Highest Score 99 runs Wickets - Best Bowling - Jitesh Sharma ₹ 11 Cr PBKS RCB Total Match 40 Total Runs 730 Highest Score 49 runs Check Full Coverage

"In the first innings, he was too focused on countering the opposition bowlers and deviated from his natural style. In the second innings, he rediscovered his rhythm and scored a hundred," Ponting said on the latest ICC Review episode.

With four Tests remaining in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and a potential spot in the World Test Championship final at stake, Ponting had a clear message for the Australian batters. "Now it's over to Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, and others to find their own way again and score some runs," he added.

India's comprehensive victory in the first Test has set the tone for the series, with Kohli's innings playing a crucial role in the team's success. His ability to perform under pressure and lead by example was once again evident in this remarkable feat.

The win in Perth not only gave India a vital lead in the series but also boosted the team's morale.

In the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India won the toss and elected to bat but managed only 150 runs. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rishabh Pant added a crucial 48-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Josh Hazlewood was Australia's standout bowler, while Pat Cummins, Mitchell Marsh, and Mitchell Starc took two wickets each.

Australia's response was poor, collapsing to 79/9 before a late partnership between Mitchell Starc and Alex Carey took them to 104, conceding a 46-run lead. Jasprit Bumrah led India's bowling with 5/30, while debutant Harshit Rana impressed with 3/48.

India dominated the second innings. KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal put on a 201-run opening stand. Kohli's unbeaten 100 , supported by Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy , propelled India to 487/6 declared, setting Australia a daunting target of 534.

Nathan Lyon was Australia's most effective bowler, while Cummins, Starc, and Hazlewood took a wicket each.

At stumps on Day 3, Australia were reeling at 12/3, with Bumrah taking two wickets and Mohammed Siraj one. On Day 4, valiant efforts from Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh were not enough to save Australia, as they were bowled out for 238, handing India a commanding 295-run victory.

Bumrah and Siraj shone in the second innings, with Washington Sundar taking two wickets and Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana contributing with one each.

Stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah was named 'Player of the Match' for his eight wickets in the game.

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