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WTC Final, IND vs AUS: Ravi Shastri, Ricky Ponting and Wasim Akram pick their favourites

The World Test Championship (WTC) final between India and Australia, starting from June 7 at The Oval, is expected to be a mouth-watering context between the two cricketing giants. Ravi Shastri, Ricky Ponting and Wasim Akram break down the team strengths.

WTC Final, IND vs AUS: Ravi Shastri, Ricky Ponting and Wasim Akram pick their favourites snt
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First Published Jun 5, 2023, 11:32 AM IST

On paper, the Australian side appears to have an edge on the bumpy Oval surface, but Ravi Shastri and Ricky Ponting believe that the Indian team is more prepared for the World Test Championship final starting on Wednesday since they have more IPL experience.

Also read: WTC Final: Australia's Labuschagne believes long county spell will help him against India, Ashes

The Oval track will likely be more fresh than usual, according to Shastri, Ponting, and Pakistani icon Wasim Akram, given the stadium has never hosted a Test match in June in its 140-year history.

Jasprit Bumrah's presence, according to Shastri, a former India head coach who led the team to the first World Tennis Championship final in 2021, would have allowed India to start evenly matched, 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 will come into play," Shastri said at the ICC's 'Afternoon with Test Legends' event.

Shastri believes that playing time matters, even if it was only two months of T20 cricket. Ponting as well as Wasim Akram agreed with Shastri.

"Match fitness might come into play," Shastri reckoned.

Also read: WTC Final, IND vs AUS: Will in-form Shubman Gill come good against the red-ball?

"You need some cricket behind you and staying on the park for six hours for five days is different from bowling in nets for two hours every day," he said.

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

In reality, Ponting also appeared to be undecided about whether playing some hard T20 cricket is preferable to being rested after few games.

"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," said Ponting, without a definite answer.

Over the years, Akram's perspective on the workload issue has remained constant.

"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," the Pakistani great noted.

Shastri claimed that this cycle has been radically different from the one in which the Indian team lost the rain-drenched final at Southampton in 2021.

Also read: WTC Final, IND vs AUS: Don't want to think about my past, want to start afresh - Ajinkya Rahane

"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 hard on players, 14 days in isolation and then seven days of training. Here both teams have had time to prepare and this one will be a good contest," he said.

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

"In Oval, you play a Test match either in last week of August or during first or second week of September when the pitch is bone dry. But this time it's a fresh 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' said.

Also read: WTC Final, IND vs AUS: Khawaja backs in-form Warner to perform against India and in the Ashes

Conditions at the Oval in June held the promise of sunny weather for former Australia captain Ponting. He claimed that rather than being in English, it makes him think about his home life.

"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 look at this venue, it is more like an Aussie venue than English. Conditions slightly favour Australia," he said.

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