WTC Final: Ponting makes bold prediction on Oval conditions, says ‘I’m giving slight advantage to Aussies’

Former Australia skipper and Delhi Capitals (DC) head coach Ricky Ponting has favoured his native Australia after his bold prediction regarding the Oval conditions. The World Test Championship (WTC) final is all set to take place in June at the iconic Oval, where Ponting reckons Australia will have the advantage of the conditions. 

Ponting’s take on WTC final

“I think it will be a bit more similar to an Australian wicket than it will be to an Indian wicket, therefore I’m giving a slight advantage to Australia,” Ponting said at an event in New Delhi.

“If this game was being played in India, I would’ve said it’s really going to be hard for Australia to win. If this game was played in Australia, I’d say Australia are the heavy favourites. The fact that this final is being played in England, it probably brings both teams a little closer together,” the former Australia skipper added.

Ponting’s claim could be underlined by the fact that few Australian players are already playing in England in the Country championship. The likes of Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne are have been applying their trade for Sussex and Glamorgan respectively.

The added advantage could come in handy as the Aussies also have the likes of Matthew Kuhnemann and Michael Neser in the County Championship. 

The only Indian part of the County Championship includes Cheteshwar Pujara while Ponting thinks wicket at the Oval will favour Australia as they are similar to the conditions Down Under. 

In an event organised by the ICC ahead of the World Test Championship final between India and Australia at the Oval on June 7, Ponting was asked about youngsters wanting to play the five-day game in an era of T20 leagues. “That question has a different answer in different countries,” Ponting said.

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WTC Final Squads

India’s Test squad WTC final: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat.

Australia’s Test squad WTC final: Pat Cummins (captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vice-captain), Mitchell Starc, David Warner.

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