Australia have slight advantage over India in WTC 2023 final, says Ricky Ponting
Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting believes that the conditions at The Oval will be similar to Australia and this will give Australia a slight edge against India in the final of the World Test Championship 2023. “I think it will be a bit more similar to the Australian wicket than the Indian wicket, so I am giving Australia a slight advantage. If this game was being played in India, I would say it is really going. ” It will be difficult for Australia to win. If this match was to be played in Australia, I would say Australia are favourites. The fact that this final is being played in England probably brings the two teams a little closer together,” Ponting said at the event in New Delhi.
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The Indian team has in recent times started to dominate in overseas conditions. They dominated Australia in the 2020/21 Border Gavaskar Trophy. With this, the 2021-2022 Pataudi Trophy against England ended on level terms (2-2). The Indian team will surely back themselves to lift the trophy even if the conditions are not in their favour. Ponting said, “The one thing India have been able to change from the late 1990s to now or the early 2000s is their ability to compete outside India.”
Ponting said, “Yes, their batting skills have improved, but the fact that they have produced some very good fast bowlers over a period of 10-15 years has enabled them to achieve success.”
One player who has been instrumental in boosting India’s chances in overseas conditions is Cheteshwar Pujara. The experienced Indian batsman has set Division Two on fire with his incredible run-scoring and versatility in the Test format. He is currently the highest run-scorer in Division Two with 545 runs in seven innings at an average of 77.85 with three centuries and one half-century. His best score in five matches is 151.
Even Ponting addressed the threat posed by Pujara and described his wicket as the most prized wicket of all the Indian batsmen which the Aussies would try to claim with all their might. “That will be the prized wicket that all the Aussies will be waiting for. The last few series that he has played, [Cheteshwar] It has been really difficult to get Pujara out. he’s over there [in England] playing now [for Sussex], Steve Smith is also playing alongside Marnus Labuschagne, trying to get a bit of a feel of the conditions ahead of this big Test match. So, look, I think it will be India’s top order against Australia’s fast bowling. I think it’s a mouth-watering idea going forward.”
India’s challenge against Australia will begin on June 7.