Shastri, Akram blast Ponting's 'IND will be tired after IPL' remark - Cricket Winner

Ricky Ponting, a former captain of Australia, once again picked his nation as the favorite to win the World Test Championship final against India at The Oval on Sunday. Ponting stated the same thing during an earlier interview with ICC Review and reiterated it during an interview with Star Sports, stating that Australia will start as the favorite to win the match while India will enter the summit clash “jaded and tired” from the arduous IPL 2023 season.

However, the panel’s other members, legendary cricketers Ravi Shastri and Wasim Akram, slammed the statement, with the former India coach making a venomous reference to “Mohammed Shami.”

Ponting, when directly asked who he thinks will win the game, said Australia, albeit “slightly.” He chose Australia based on match preparation, despite admitting that there is little to distinguish the two teams after they finished top of the table at the conclusion of the 2021/23 cycle to reach the final. He explained that Indian players were exhausted following the IPL season, whereas Australian players had barely played the sport prior to the WTC final, implying a “fresh” mind.

“The interesting thing as far as preparation is concerned is that some of the Australians have done nothing. They haven’t been playing any cricket at all. At least, all the Indian guys have been playing very competitive cricket in the IPL. So coming in fresh without any cricket, is that better or is it coming in maybe slightly jaded and slightly tired on the back of an IPL but having played a lot of cricket leading in? So there’s lots of factors that could show up through the course of this week,”

he said.

The Pakistani fast-bowling legend, on the other hand, completely disagreed with Ponting and stated that, regardless of the format, he would have preferred playing a series or a tournament like the IPL leading up to a big final rather than not practicing at all.

“I as a player would always want a bit of cricket behind me. It doesn’t matter the format as long as I am playing cricket. I would prefer at least one series or a tournament like IPL as match practice and then come into play,”

Akram explained, although he did pick Aussies as the favourites.

Shastri conceded that Australia start top picks on paper however added that match wellness could be a game changer. He explained that a player like Mohammed Shami, who won the Purple Cap in the IPL 2023, could end up doing the most damage with the new ball than a player who hasn’t played a match in a while and is looking for the right areas to bowl.

“I think that match fitness might come into play. It’s like Waz mentioned, Ricky mentioned, you need some cricket behind you. It’s not just the number of overs you bowl or how long you were, but just staying in the park for six hours,

“It’s totally different from just bowling in the nets for two hours, two hours, four or five days, six days. So it depends how they’ve practiced, how they’ve prepared.

“Australia. On paper, if you look man to man, they have the slight edge, but that match fitness might be the key. Where Shami might just come in and do the damage in the first half an hour because he’s been playing so much, as opposed to someone settling into a line length and the right areas to bowl.”

Shastri said.