WTC Final: Are Australia favourites, or India? Gavaskar disagrees with Ponting

As the encounter draws near, former Australian captain Ricky Ponting expressed his belief that the Indian team might be at a disadvantage due to fatigue from the gruelling IPL 2023 season. Ponting highlighted that while the Australians had fewer participants in the T20 tournament and thus a fresh mindset, the Indian players had been actively involved in the highly competitive IPL.

In response to Ponting’s viewpoint, legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar refuted the claim, emphasising the importance of match practice before significant fixtures, irrespective of the format. Gavaskar asserted that the Indian team holds the edge over Australia, with most players having accumulated valuable playing time, either through the IPL or other engagements like Cheteshwar Pujara’s participation in County Cricket.

“For a big match, you need miles under your feet. And most of the Indian players have done that. Even one player who was not in the IPL, Pujara was playing County Cricket and was scoring centuries for fun. So yes, the Indians are in a better position,” Gavaskar told India Today.

“I will give the edge to India. I don’t agree with the fact that the conditions favour Australia,” he added.

The WTC Final, conducted under the purview of the International Cricket Council (ICC), will witness the utilisation of the renowned Dukes’ ball, a preferred choice for Test matches and elite-level cricket in England. The India vs Australia match is set to commence at 3 PM Indian time, with the toss scheduled for 2:30 PM.

Indian cricket fans eagerly anticipating the thrilling WTC 2023 Final can tune in to the live broadcast on the Star Sports Network. The match will be available for viewing on various TV channels under the Star Sports umbrella. For those who prefer the convenience of online streaming, the live coverage of the WTC Final can be accessed through the Disney+Hotstar App and Website.

Updated: 07 Jun 2023, 10:57 AM IST