"I'd be going with Ishan Kishan if I was them in this game" - Ricky Ponting's advice to India ahead of WTC final

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has batted for X-factor player Ishan Kishan to make his Test debut in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia, starting on June 7th at The Oval. The Tasmanian reckons the keeper-batter can score briskly and prove pivotal to India's success.

Kishan has sneaked into India's WTC squad as KL Rahul was forced out due to a hip injury sustained during an IPL 2023 game. The keeper-batter has decent first-class numbers, averaging 38.76 in 48 matches with six centuries.

Speaking on the ICC Review podcast, Ponting said he would pick Ishan Kishan as he gives India the best chance of winning, giving Rohit Sharma and co. an edge.

"I'd pick Ishan Kishan," he said. "If you want to be crowned the world champion, you have to win the game. Hence why there is a sixth day that has been added to try and give both teams the best chance of a result. I'd be going with Ishan Kishan if I was them in this game. I think it just provides that little bit of X-factor that you might need when pushing for a win in a Test match.”

Kishan has also fared reasonably well in international cricket, notably scoring an explosive fifty on his T20I debut two years ago. The southpaw captured headlines when he smashed an ODI double-hundred against Bangladesh last year.

"He's been bowling every game through this IPL" - Ricky Ponting on Hardik Pandya

Ponting further claimed that India could use a player like Hardik Pandya for the one-off game as he could be a game-changer.

"The other really interesting thing that I thought about the other day for India in this game is how valuable someone like Hardik Pandya could be in a one-off Test match," he said. "I know he is on record saying that the Test match game is probably a little bit hard on his body. But for a one-off game... he's been bowling every game through this IPL and he's bowling quick. He could be that X-factor there just to pick in a one-off game, come in and see what he can do with bat and ball."

Pandya's last of seven Tests came against England in September 2018.