“India should have Suryakumar Yadav in WTC squad, Ishan Kishan will provide X factor”- Ricky Ponting

The ICC WTC 2023 final between India and Australia will be played from June 7-11 at the Oval, London.

Ricky Ponting expects Ishan Kishan to be the much-needed 'X' element in Rishabh Pant's absence due to injury, but he is a little shocked that Suryakumar Yadav isn't in India's main team for the World Test Championship final next month.

In the event of a top-order failure, particularly in conditions abroad, Pant was India's go-to batter. He is currently recovering from injuries sustained in a horrifying automobile accident in December.

Suryakumar, who made his Test debut earlier this year against Australia at home, may do the same for the side but is now only on the standby list. Due to KL Rahul's injury, Kishan has been given the opportunity, and Ponting believes that he can help India play an aggressive brand of cricket in their quest for their first ICC crown in ten years.

Asked if Suryakumar should have been in the squad, Ponting expressed surprise and said “yes”.

“But there is another X factor that has just been added in Ishan Kishan. If you look at the way he plays, he is probably the most like Rishabh Pant with his potential to keep and bat in the middle order. 

“If they do play those guys they should be given the right to play an aggressive brand of cricket. The best chance for India to achieve a result is by being a bit more adventurous in the way they play and Australia will try to do the same thing,” said Ponting in response to a PTI query.

“With the injury issues India have got, they can go with few different ways, especially in batting. Before Rahul’s injury, I had him in the eleven, now that he is not there, they need to pick Ishan or K S Bharat,” he added.

Australia have a slight upper hand going into the title clash: Ricky Ponting

Ponting feels Australia has a slight upper hand going into the title clash.

He said: “If this game was played in India, I would have said it would be really hard for Australia to win. If this game was played in Australia, I would say Australia will be favorite but in England, it brings the teams together.

We don’t know what the conditions will be like. Having played at the Oval I think conditions will be much similar to an Australian wicket compared to an Indian wicket, therefore giving a slight advantage to Australia.”

The illustrious cricketer said that both teams might utilize the Kookaburra ball for the crucial match, but an ICC source confirmed that the Dukes' ball will be used as is customary.