Mental and physical freshness is key to perform well against India, says Ponting

Australia great Ricky Ponting reflected on the challenges of preparing for a high-stakes series like the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, emphasising mental clarity over excessive match practice and said that performing in the series will be more about "making sure you're nice and fresh mentally and physically."

"Preparation is always a hard one to get right. Because I've seen guys like Travis Head in the past where they've almost had no preparation at all, going into a game and then turn up and play one of the all-time great innings.

"For me, it's not so much the skills side going into games or series like this. It's making sure you're nice and fresh mentally and physically," Ponting said. The former Aussie captain further outlined his reasoning and reflected on past predictions that didn't go his way, adding a touch of humour to his assessment.