WTC Final: Ishan Kishan can give India Rishabh Pant-like X-factor but advantage Australia, says Ricky Ponting

WTC Final: Ricky Ponting has expressed surprise at Suryakumar Yadav's exclusion from India's squad for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia from June 7 at The Oval but reckoned that Ishan Kishan could emerge as the X-factor for Rohit Sharma's team.

In an event organised by the International Cricket Council 9ICC) ahead of the WTC final, Ponting has opined that Kishan is similar to injured Rishabh Pant in terms of his abilities to keep wickets and bat in the middle-order.

The Jharkhand wicketkeeper-batter was part of India's squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023, however, KS Bharat was preferred ahead of him in all the four matches. Kishan was added to the 15-member squad after KL Rahul was ruled out due to a thigh injury.

"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 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," Ponting said.

"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," Ponting added.

"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 KS Bharat," said the three-time ODI World Cup winner.

WTC Final: Advantage Australia - Ponting

"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 favourites 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."

While Ponting predicted that the contest could be between India batters and Australia fast bowlers, he said that The Oval track could help spinners in the latest phases of the game.

"I think it'll be India's top order against Australia's fast bowling, It's a bit of a mouth-watering thought going forward.

"Generally, we think about the battles between India's spinners and Australia's batters. But will that be negated by the wicket at The Oval?

"Normally the wickets that I've played on The Oval have started as really good batting wickets, and actually have offered a little bit to the spinners as the game's going on.

"That's what I'd like to see in this wicket - to have a really good contest on day four, day five, or maybe even day six, seeing how it's going."