Andries Gous picks Ricky Ponting’s aggressive captaincy over MS Dhoni’s calm approach [Exclusive]

In an exclusive conversation with CricTracker, wicketkeeper-batter Andries Gous shared his views on various aspects of the game, revealing some interesting choices and preferences. He stated that he would choose Ricky Ponting’s aggression over MS Dhoni’s calmness, highlighting his admiration for an assertive approach to the game. Gous also picked Virat Kohli’s cover drive over Babar Azam’s and expressed his fondness for facing quality spin bowling.

The USA batter went on to describe Abhishek Sharma as fearless and labelled Virat Kohli as stylish. He named Jacques Kallis as the ‘king of cricket’ for his all-round excellence. Gous further opined that Kane Williamson possesses superior batting technique, while Steven Smith stands out for his game awareness. He praised Faf du Plessis and David Miller for their longevity in international cricket, acknowledging their consistency and sustained impact over the years.

Excerpts from the interview

Rapid Fire (This or That)

Fast starts or Finishing strong - Finishing strong 
Impact cameo or Long match-defining innings - Impact
MS Dhoni's Calmness or Ricky Ponting's Aggression as captain - Ricky Ponting
Virat Kohli's cover drive or Babar Azam's Cover drive - Virat Kohli’s cover drive
Opening the batting or finishing the innings? - Opening
Facing express pace or tackling quality spin? - Quality spin
Chasing a target or setting one? - Chasing
Big six or perfect cover drive? - Big six
Franchise leagues or international matches? - Intl matches
MS Dhoni or Adam Gilchrist - MS Dhoni

'One Word, One Cricketer!'

Fearless - Abhishek Sharma
Stylish - Virat Kohli
Underrated - Harry Brook 
Speed - Lockie Ferguson 
Calm - MS Dhoni
Genius - Virat Kohli
Magician - Sunil Narine
King - Jacques Kallis
Clutch - Virat Kohli
Golden Arm - Jasprit Bumrah
Leader - Ricky Ponting

Pick Your Dream Batter

Technique - Kane Williamson
Timing - AB de Villiers
Power - Romario Shepherd
Consistency - Virat Kohli
Mentality - Virat Kohli
Spin-hitting - Nicholas Pooran
Pace-hitting - Rohit Sharma
Game awareness - Steve Smith
Finishing ability - David Miller
Longevity - Faf du Plessis

Last Man Standing🏆

Pick the best batter (Elimination)

Babar Azam or Shubman Gill
Shai Hope
Travis Head
Phil Salt
Steve Smith 
Kane Williamson
Joe Root
Nicholas Pooran
Rohit Sharma 
Virat Kohli