Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting predicted that Indian left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja could be the leading wicket-taker for India in the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy following his five-wicket haul on day 1 in Nagpur on Thursday.
Speaking on ICC Review the former Australian skipper said
As the series goes on, if his(Jadeja) body holds up and he can get through the four Test matches, I think he could very well be the leading wicket-taker in this entire series.”
Ponting said Jadeja will be very effective in his sort of wickets as he got the right pace and lines to right-handers, he explained that one ball would turn and the other one will slide on, and it will difficult for the batters to pick him.
“Because of how he [Jadeja] bowls on those sort of wickets – the pace that he bowls, the line that he bowls to right-handers in particular, where he is pitching the ball on the stumps all the time, and one would turn and one will slide on, like we saw, with the dismissal of Steven Smith today. I mean they’re two identical deliveries. One just happened to turn and the other one went straight on and went back through the gate and bowled him.”
Coming back from injury Jadeja has been mighty impressed with both bat and ball. Jadeja will be a very important player for India in Border Gavaskar Trophy 2023.
Need To Pick Up The Best Line-Up Going Forward – Ricky Ponting Gives His Opinion On David Warner
David Warner’s inconsistent run in red-ball cricket continued when he was dismissed by Mohammad Shami in the 1st innings of the 1st test and Former Australian Cricketer Ponting wants selectors to make tough decisions going forward
Ponting stated that Warner is not averaging well in India. “I think he averages 24 in India, something like that, from about eight Test matches. Nine Test matches — well, eight-and-a-half, he’s got another (innings) yet — but that average would’ve dipped down again today (Thursday),”
“So, if the selectors and the coach and the captain, if they are so hell-bent on winning this series and a couple of their batters for the first few games don’t fire, then I think they have to have a look at picking who they think is their best line-up going forward,” said Ponting.