Trouble in the Australian team over Pujara (Photo: PTI)
New Delhi: The final of the World Test Championship has not even started yet and panic has started in the Australian team. There is an uproar inside the Kangaroo team regarding the Indian player who entered the house two years ago and brought them to their knees. We are talking about Cheteshwar Pujara, with whom former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has given special advice to Cummins and Co. to be careful.
Ponting, one of Australia’s most successful captains, has instructed the Kangaroo bowlers to avoid Pujara in the final of the World Test Championship. He has asked his team to be careful with this Test specialist of India.
Read here: How did Pujara shine before the WTC final?
Pujara’s fear in the Australian team!
Ricky Ponting said, “The Australian team must be talking about Pujara at this time. The reasons for discussing Pujara are the old wounds he gave to the Australian team. He has helped the Indian team a lot in defeating Australia in Australia. Please tell that the real reason for Ponting’s fear of Pujara is India’s last Australia tour, in which Pujara was seen standing at the crease like a rock in the series played. To save the match for India or to win it, in both the cases, he played his role very well.
Pujara’s 3 centuries and 545 runs in England before WTC final
Even though Australia has to play the final of the World Test Championship in England with India. But, Pujara can become a threat for them here too. This is because the rest of the Indian players may have just reached England. But Pujara was playing county cricket there for the last 2 months. During this, he scored 545 runs in 8 innings of 6 matches with 3 centuries.
Hardik Pandya could have been the X-factor – Ponting
Apart from describing Pujara as a big threat to Australia, Ricky Ponting expressed surprise over Hardik Pandya not being selected for the WTC final. Ponting said that I know that Hardik’s body is not for Test cricket, but still I think that he could have been the X factor for the Indian team. He is the player who makes the difference in the match.
Please tell that Hardik Pandya has not played Test cricket since 2018. He himself has decided to stay away from this format of cricket due to fitness issue.
Read more: Team India’s ‘enemy’ who became Pujara’s friend!