With IPL 2023 over, the focus has quickly shifted to the ICC World Test Championship where India will take on Australia in the title clash starting June 7 in London. This is the second time running that India have qualified for the WTC final having lost to New Zealand in 2021.
India will be missing a few of their first-choice stars in the playing XI owing to various injuries including KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah.
Rahul was the latest to be ruled out after he injured his right thigh during IPL for which he later underwent a surgery.
BCCI replaced him with wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan, who is yet to feature in Test cricket for India. However, the legendary Ricky Ponting thinks that India could give him debut in the all-important WTC final as he adds a little bit of X-factor
“I’d pick Ishan Kishan. If you want to be crowned the world champion, you have to win the game. Hence, why there is a sixth day that has been added to give both teams the best chance of a result. I’d be going with Ishan Kishan because I think he just provides that little bit of X-factor that you might need when pushing for a win in a Test match,” told ICC.
The 24-year-old Ishan has played 48 first-class matches in which he has scored 2985 runs at 38.76 including six hundreds and 16 half-centuries.
Ponting also thinks India could also add allrounder Hardik Pandya into the mix considering his recent performances in white-ball cricket. Pandya last played a Test in September 2018.
“The other really interesting thing that I thought about the other day for India in this game is how valuable someone like Hardik Pandya could be in a one-off Test match,” Ponting said.
“I know he is on record saying that the Test match game is probably a little bit hard on his body. But for a one-off game, he’s been bowling every game through this IPL and he’s bowling quick. He could be that X-factor there just to pick in a one-off game, come in and see what he can do with bat and ball,” he added.
Earlier this year when Pandya was asked the question if he’s eyeing a a Test comeback and potentially targeting a spot in the WTC final squad, the allrounder ruled himself out saying he wants to go through the grind first.
“No. I am ethically very strong person. I haven’t done 10% to reach there. I am not even a part of 1%. So me coming there and taking someone’s place will ethically not go well. If I want to play Test cricket, I’ll go through the grind and earn my spot. Hence, for that reason I will not be available for the WTC final or future test series until I feel that I have earned my spot,” Pandya had said.
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