Ricky Ponting reveals where have India gone wrong in WTC Final

Australia have dominated the first two days of the World Test Championship at The Oval. On the back of centuries from Travis Head and Steve Smith, Australia posted a commanding 469 run total. They followed it up with precise wicket-to-wicket bowling that saw India close at 151/5, still trailing by 318 runs.

With India seemingly struggling ever since Rohit Sharma won the toss and decided to field, Ricky Ponting believes the top-ranked team let things go in the first hour on Wednesday.

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“I think where they let themselves down was in the first hour yesterday and bowling too short,” Ponting told the ICC.

“With the wicket conditions, the overhead conditions they had and the brand new Dukes ball, they had to bowl fuller and get the ball driven back down the ground.

“They needed to have Australia four or five down at lunch and they only had them two down which was a pretty good result (for Australia).”

Ponting said deciding to field after winning the toss was a bold decision. He added that once you do make that decision, playing four seamers – and leaving R Ashwin out – was the only option.

“I know the captain wears the brunt of it (criticism), but I know it’s not only his decision,” Ponting noted.

“I saw Rahul Dravid and him out (Rohit) in the middle yesterday morning and they had a long discussion about what they wanted to do at the toss.

“If they wanted to bowl first I think they had to play the four seamers. So far you would say it hasn’t paid off – but there is a long way to go and we probably shouldn’t be too quick to judge.”

With not much going right for India in the two days, Mohammed Siraj has been the lonley bright spark. With seven Australian wickets falling on the second day, Siraj was a major catalyst for India’s improved bowling effort.

The seamer bowled plenty of short-pitched deliveries and was also involved in mid-pitch staring competitions.

“I loved seeing that and he looks like the ultimate competitor,” Ponting said of Siraj.

“Maybe sometimes he gets carried away and goes a little bit over the top, but you need those guys in your side when things aren’t going well.

“He was the one today who said I am going to be the guy that is going to turn things around and what I loved was that his pace didn’t drop at all during the whole innings.

“From the first ball yesterday morning until late this afternoon, his pace was hovering around that 86 or 87-mile and hour mark and that says a lot about a great attitude.”

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