India and Australia Will Be Champion Unstoppable in the Trophy, Says Ricky Ponting

The ICC Champions Trophy is but a week from kicking off its campaign, so cricketing great Ricky Ponting shared his thought on which of the teams were virtually unstoppable when the much-anticipated tournament took place. This year's contest runs from 19 February until 9 March, and was scheduled to take place at three venues in Pakistan and one venue in Dubai. Former Australian captain and multiple ICC tournament winner Ponting feels that the Indian team along with Australia would once again spearhead the event to win the title.

"The sheer quality of players on both sides is different, said Ponting. "Time and again history has shown their ability to reach the latter stages of major ICC events. "When you look at the quality of players in both countries right now and then glance back at recent history, you'll notice that whenever a big ICC final is played, India and Australia inevitably feature in it," Ponting shared in an interview with the ICC Review.

The cricketing rivalry between India and Australia is well known to be intense. They have also been dominant winners of the ICC tournaments. Each of them has won the Champions Trophy twice. India won in 2013 and before that, they tied with Sri Lanka in 2002 after it had to be abandoned due to rain. It also demonstrated their supremacy by winning it consecutively in 2006 and 2009, further proving to establish their position as one of the strongest teams in the world of cricket.

While India and Australia are the obvious favorites, Ponting also pointed out Pakistan as a force to be reckoned with in the tournament. The defending champions won the title in 2017 after defeating India comprehensively in the final. According to Ponting, their recent one-day international performances show a new-found consistency that could see them challenge the traditional powerhouses.

"Pakistan has been playing some really good cricket of late," said Ponting. "Their one-day cricket in recent times has been absolutely outstanding. They might not always be the most predictable team when it comes to big tournaments, but they seem to have sorted things out a little bit." This unpredictability has been both Pakistan's strength and weakness over the years, but their recent successes suggest they could be a serious contender.

Pakistan's recent ODIs have confirmed their upward swing. The side won all the three ODI series they played last year with an impressive return of coming from behind to clinch the Australia and Zimbabwe ODI series on both occasions that went down the wire and ultimately ending up victorious at 2-1 in the series, followed by whitewashing South Africa 3-0 while asserting their strengths and capabilities within the 50-over format.

Still, the entry of another team apart does not weigh with Ponting when it comes to a pot of experience and firepower that he says India and Australia possess-both to be out in the field. For this reason alone, both possess world-class batsmen in respective groups, along with powerful bowling attacks and all-rounders bowling that can see a tide over within a few overs. Players Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Steve Smith, and Pat Cummins were leading their side, so cricket is bound to be an electric affair.

India has been consistently persistent in white-ball cricket. Their recent performances seem to show them going pretty strong for the tournament. With a strong top order, a good mix of experienced and young pacers, and carrying game-changing spinners, India is ready for any challenge thrown at them. Australia, known for their aggression along with strategic approach, has always been a team that offers their best when playing under pressure, especially in the ICC tournaments. Their depth in batting and bowling makes them a tough opponent for any side.

The Champions Trophy has always been a platform for thrilling cricketing encounters, and with teams like India, Australia, and Pakistan in top form, the competition promises to be electrifying. While other teams in the tournament will aim to upset the balance, history suggests that India and Australia will once again be the teams to beat.

The countdown to the Champions Trophy has begun, and cricketing fans across the world will look for another instalment of the never-ending saga between these cricketing titans. The stakes are high, the battles intense, and the action can only be nothing but dramatic with the kind of performances that could see India face Australia in another final.