Australia will be taking about Kohli and Pujara ahead of WTC Final: Ponting

Australia will be wary of the threat that senior Indian batters Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli pose when they face India in the World Test Championship final, feels Ricky Ponting.

Former Australia captain Ponting feels Pujara, who skipped the recently-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) to play the County Championship and get accustomed to the English conditions, could be a “thorn” for the Aussies in the ‘Ultimate Test’, as could a “back at his best” Kohli.

Red-ball specialist Pujara has been leading Sussex from the front this season, collecting three centuries so far and currently occupying the second spot on the run-scorers’ list with 545 runs in six outings. Senior Australia batter Steve Smith has been playing under Pujara’s leadership at the Hove-based club this season.

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Kohli, on the other hand, smashed 186 against Australia in Ahmedabad during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year and also enjoyed a solid run in the IPL, where he collected 639 runs at an average of 53.25 with two centuries to his name.

“The Australian team will be talking about Virat, no doubt about it, and they’ll be talking about Pujara. They’re the two,” Ponting said on The ICC Review.

Pujara is known to relish the challenges thrown at him by Australian bowlers, having scored more Test runs and centuries against them than any other side, and his contribution would be crucial to India’s chances of lifting the WTC trophy in their second attempt.

“Pujara has been a thorn in their side a lot in the past, and in Australia, and this wicket will potentially be a lot more like an Australian pitch. They know that they’ll have to get him early,” opined the former Australian captain.

Pujara, who bats at No 3, has 2,033 runs and five centuries in 24 Tests against Australia, and skipper Rohit Sharma will hope he makes a couple of more vital contributions for the side in the WTC final.

“They also know that Virat over the last few weeks is probably just about back to his absolute best, albeit in T20 cricket. He told me that the feeling he’s getting right now is that he’s almost back to his best, and that’s an ominous warning for the Australians going into a one-off game,” said Ponting.

Ponting is also mightily impressed with young Shubman Gill’s performance in the IPL and the 23-year-old’s exploits in the last two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar series.

Gill hit three centuries for Gujarat Titans in IPL.

“He looks like a terrific young guy. He’s got that bit of attitude about him as well. He’s got a bit of swagger. He has some serious class. That sort of front-foot pull shot that he plays against the fast bowlers will be a shot that he’ll probably need against this Australian attack,” said Ponting.

Read | No place for Gill, Pujara in Ravi Shastri’s combined XI

With the pace bowlers likely to do a lot of heavy lifting during the one-off Test, Ponting believes veteran Mohammed Shami will have to be at his absolute best against the strong Australian batting lineup, given that Jasprit Bumrah is not in the frame owing to injury.

“I think he has to step up or try and take his game to another level if India are going to win this game. When you talk to the Australian batters as well, they understand how good Shami is whether it’s new ball or old ball, whether it’s in Australia or India.

“They know the skillset he’s got and how dangerous he can be. It’s going to have to be him,” added Ponting.

With inputs from PTI

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