Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has claimed that Rohit Sharma-led India cannot make a comeback in World Test Championship (WTC) final at Kennington Oval, London. India lost their openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill in the second session after Australia posted a mammoth total on Day 2. The poor start led to Ponting believing that India will lose the second WTC final on the trot.
“India cannot win WTC final from here,” Ponting told Star Sports. In the third session, India lost the wickets of Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli as well. While Ravindra Jadeja infused life into India’s first innings with his 48-run knock, the final score was 151/5 with a mountain of 318 runs ahead of them. Ajinkya Rahane and Srikar Bharat on Day 3 will face an uphill task to avoid follow on by scoring 119 more runs.
Ponting had also criticised Rohit’s decision to drop no.1 ranked ICC bowler Ravichandran Ashwin from the side. He also said that the Indian seamers got it wrong in the first session and bowled too short.
"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 also blamed Rahul Dravid for the decision to bowl first and picking four seamers in the side.
"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."
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