Given the short turnaround time between the IPL and the ICC World Test Championship final, the Indian players were not ideally prepared to handle English conditions.
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting stated that while the Indian and Australian players on view here have been a bit rusty, they must adapt quickly and get the results.
“The Indian team’s preparation probably wasn’t ideal. A few of the Australian boys were there in the IPL as well, and a few other Australians hadn’t done anything for three months. Both teams have been a bit rusty. (Mitchell) Starc and (Pat) Cummins have been rusty with the ball.
“Cummins getting wickets off no-balls means his rhythm isn’t where he wants it to be. With a one-off game in this time of the year, there’s never going to be ideal preparation time for anybody. You have to do the best you can to get prepared and execute on the day,” Ponting, an ambassador for the WTC Final, said in a media interaction here on Friday.
Not all players need adequate and relevant match practice to find form, Ponting added. “Travis Head (who scored 163) is a great example. He hasn’t picked up a bat for a few months. It comes down to the individual,” Ponting said.
The 48-year-old wondered why Ajinkya Rahane has not been a permanent fixture in the Test team. Rahane, making his comeback, scored a fighting 89 on Friday.
“You wonder why he hasn’t been picked in the team. Rahane has always been a classy player. His record suggests that he plays at his best when his team needs him the most. If he gets a few more runs in the upcoming Tests against the West Indies, the selectors will have some big decisions to make,” Ponting said.
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