Ricky Ponting thinks Australia will have to give special attention to Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli during their World Test Championship (WTC) final contest against India at The Oval.
“The Australian team will be talking about Virat, no doubt about it, and they’ll be talking about Pujara. They’re the two,” Ponting said on ‘The ICC Review’.
“Pujara has been a thorn in their side a lot in the past, and in Australia, and this wicket (at The Oval) will potentially be a lot more like an Australian pitch. They know that they’ll have to get him early,” said the former Australian captain.
Pujara, who bats at No. 3, has 2,033 runs and five centuries in 24 Tests against Australia.
Kohli was in top form in the IPL and had also smashed 186 in the fourth Test against Australia in March during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
“They also know that Virat, over the last few weeks, is probably just about back to his absolute best, albeit in T20 cricket. 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,” said Ponting.
Gill’s swag
Ponting is also impressed with young Shubman Gill’s performance in the IPL and the 23-year-old’s exploits in the last two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar series.
Gill hit three centuries for Gujarat Titans in IPL.
“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,” said Ponting.
On the bowling front, Ponting believes Mohammed Shami will have to be at his absolute best against the Aussies in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah.
Written with inputs from PTI
