ADELAIDE: Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting advised struggling batters Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith to trust their game akin to star India batter Virat Kohli to turn their fortunes around in the remaining four Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Labuschagne was all at sea against Jasprit Bumrah-led Indian pacers in the opening Test at Perth, which the Aussies lost by a whopping 295-run margin, making a 52-ball 2 and 3.
Smith looked equally out of sorts while making a first-ball duck and 60-ball 17 before succumbing to Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj in the first and second innings respectively.