WTC Final: Australia favourites on paper nonetheless Indian players have edge in match well being, says Ravi Shastri

By India Today Sports Desk: Australia on paper are favourites on a bouncy Oval flooring, nonetheless every Ravi Shastri and Ricky Ponting think about that the Indians are increased prepared for the World Test Championship final, which begins on Wednesday, with IPL game-time beneath their belts.

Shastri, Ponting, and Pakistan veteran Wasim Akram all think about that the Oval observe is perhaps brisker than common on account of the venue has on no account hosted a Test match in June in its 140-year existence.

Shastri, a former India head coach who led the group to the inaugural World T20 final in 2021, believes that if Jasprit Bumrah had been present, India would have started on an equal footing, if not as favourites.

“I would say if you look at pace attack, if Bumrah was there, I would say it was equal with an attack of Mohammed Shami, Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. But that Aussie attack with Starc, Cummins, may be the match fitness that will come into play,” Shastri talked about on the ICC’s ‘Afternoon with Test Legends’ event.

Even though it was solely two months of T20 cricket, Shastri believes that sport time makes a distinction. Both Ponting and Akram agreed with Shastri.

“Match fitness might come into play,” Shastri reckoned.

“You need some cricket behind you and staying in the park for six hours for five days is different from bowling in nets for two hours every day,” he talked about.

“Shami might be key as he has been playing a lot of cricket,” Shastri added.

In actuality, Ponting gave the impression to be confused about whether or not or not being latest with out a great deal of video video games is preferable to having fun with some arduous T20 cricket.

“Some of the Aussies have done nothing and not played anything. Coming in fresh, is that better? Or coming tired slightly jaded but playing lot of cricket, what is better,” talked about Ponting, with no specific reply.

Akram’s perspective on the workload downside has been fixed over time.

“I, as a player, like having cricket (games) behind me. Format doesn’t matter as long as I am playing. It’s better to have tournament like IPL.”

Shastri, who was throughout the Indian dressing room after they misplaced the rain-soaked final in Southampton in 2021, acknowledged that this cycle has been radically utterly completely different.

“When you don’t win, it hurts as you are not there to fill in numbers. But if I look in hindsight, compared to that World Test Championship cycle, it’s chalk and cheese.

“There was COVID-19, quarantines. It was arduous on players, 14 days in isolation after which seven days of teaching. Here every teams have had time to arrange and this one is perhaps an excellent contest,” he said.

A June Test match at the Oval would present its own set of challenges for Akram, who has played more than a decade of county cricket in England, primarily for Lancashire, a side he has captained.

“In Oval, you play a Test match each in ultimate week of August or all through first or second week of September when the pitch is bone dry. But this time it’s a latest pitch and it’s early June.

“There will be a lot more bounce. The Dukes swings lot more and for longer time and stays a lot harder than Kookaburra. I think Australia will be slightly favourites,” the ‘Sultan of Swing’ talked about.

For former Australia captain Ponting, the circumstances on the Oval in June, with the promise of shiny local weather, are supreme. He says it reminds him further of his residence nation than of English.

“Never been in a Test match held at the Oval in June (since 1880). The pitch should be perfect. It’s a neutral ball (Dukes and not Kookaburra or SG Test) at neutral venue and it (Dukes) does (seam and swing) longer (periods of time).

“You check out this venue, it is further like an Aussie venue than English. Conditions barely favour Australia,” he talked about.

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