"A lot of it comes down to the individual" - Ricky Ponting on India's and Australia's preparations for WTC final
Former Australian legend Ricky Ponting has opened up on the preparations of both teams ahead of the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Although Ponting feels it comes down to individuals, he expressed reservations about someone like Pat Cummins, who hasn't played any cricket since February.
Cummins captained Australia in the first two Tests earlier this year before returning home to attend to his ailing mother, prompting Steve Smith to take the captaincy. The 29-year-old didn't return for the subsequent ODI series either and had already skipped this year's Indian Premier League.
Speaking at the official curtain raiser for the event in Delhi, the World Cup-winning skipper highlighted that Indian players will have one eye at the WTC final. He said:
"Mohammad Shami going to be in a better position skill-wise than what Pat Cummins is? Cummins hasn't played any cricket for a few months now. It's a hard one. A lot of it comes down to the individual.
"The Indian players that are here playing in the IPL won't only be thinking about the IPL. They'll be on workload management stuff to make sure that they're right to bowl in a Test match in a couple of weeks’ time."
Shami has been in spectacular form in IPL 2023 and is the joint-leading wicket-taker this season currently. The Gujarat Titans seamer has snared 23 scalps in 13 games at 16.73. He is also an expert operator with the red cherry.
Ricky Ponting suggests Australian players' involvement in county cricket could give them an edge
Ponting reflected that Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne exposed themselves to the conditions, while the Aussie bowlers involved in county cricket also keeps them in good stead.
The 48-year-old added:
"There's two ways to look at it – I'm not sure there's a right or wrong. What the Australian players have done though, you know, with Steve Smith and Labuschange being in England there, getting used to the conditions the best they can – they're giving themselves the best chance.
"Michael Nesser and Sean Abbott are also over there, bowling, making sure they're ready in case there's an injury to any of the Australian fast bowlers."
Australia will also compete against England in the Ashes after the WTC final.