Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting feels the Pat Cummins-led team will be talking about Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara ahead of the World Test Championship final. Kohli and Pujara have all the experience under their belt and they are going to hold the key for the Indian team in the summit clash.
When all the players were plying their trade in the recently concluded Indian Premier League 2023, Cheteshwar Pujara was gearing up for the WTC Final in the County Division Two while playing for Sussex.
The right-hander scored 545 runs in eight innings at an average of 68.12, including three centuries and he is the second-highest run-getter of the tournament.
On the other hand, Virat Kohli was in good form in the second half of IPL 2023. The talisman scored 639 runs in 14 matches for Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2023 at an average of 53.25, including two hundreds and he will be looking to carry the same form in the WTC Final against Australia.
While previewing the WTC Final, Ponting feels Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara will be discussed in the team’s meeting by the Australian side.
“The Australian team will be talking about Virat, no doubt about it, and they’ll be talking about Pujara,” Ricky Ponting told ICC Review. “They’re the two. Pujara has been a thorn in their side a lot in the past, and in Australia, and this wicket will potentially be a lot more like an Australian pitch. They know that they’ll have to get him early.”
“They also know that Virat over the last few weeks is probably just about back to his absolute best, albeit in T20 cricket,” he added. “He told me that the feeling he’s getting right now is that he’s almost back to his best, and that’s an ominous warning for the Australians going into a one-off game.”
On the other hand, Ponting showered praise on Shubman Gill, who was in terrific form in IPL 2023. The youngster amassed 890 runs in 17 matches of IPL 2023 at an average of 59.33 and an impressive strike rate of 157.80 to finish as the leading run-getter of the tournament and bagged the Orange Cap.
Speaking on Gill, Ponting said, “He looks like a terrific young guy. He’s got that bit of attitude about him as well. He’s got a bit of swagger. He has some serious class.That sort of front foot pull shot that he plays against the fast bowlers will be a shot that he’ll probably need against this Australian attack.”
The WTC final will be played at the Oval from June 7.
