Australia vs India 2018-19: Ricky Ponting questions Pujara's batting approach at MCG

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has raised questions over India's slow scoring rate in the crucial third Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. He also predicted that Cheteshwar Pujara's knock will be either remembered as a celebrated match-winning innings or the one that cost India a chance at victory.

Pujara scored 106 runs from 319 balls and helped India post a mammoth total in the first innings. The knock included ten fours but the low strike-rate has evoked some queries as India would now have to bowl extremely well to finish on top.

Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant accelerated towards the end of the second day, following which Virat Kohli declared at 443 with 7 overs left in the day. In reply, the Australian openers safely negotiated the last passage of play without any mishaps.

Although Ponting praised Pujara for registering his second century of the series, he insisted that the sluggish strike-rate would mean that the knock could go either way.

“If India go on and win the game, it’ll be a great innings (but) if they haven’t got time to bowl Australia out twice, it could be what actually costs them the game,” Ponting told cricket.com.au.

The legendary batsman added, “I think it’s always hard for India to push the run rate along when Pujara’s there. He’s just made another hundred, his second of the series, so he’s playing well and doesn’t really look like getting out. But he just locks himself in this little bubble where scoring doesn’t seem to faze him at all."

Ponting also felt that Virat Kohli's dismissal was a well-planned one and Australian bowlers should target him with the shorter wide ball on a more regular basis.

The 44-year old affirmed, “I’d love to see them start more that way against Kohli. He doesn’t play too many cross-bat shots early on (in his innings), so I think that’s maybe something the Australians could look at and target for the rest of the series."

With the series level at 1-1, India have batted splendidly at the MCG during the first two days of the third Test. The onus is now on their bowlers to ensure that the efforts do not end up without a positive result.