Former Australian World Cup-winning captain Ricky Ponting feels that Australian batsman Usman Khawaja will finish on top in the upcoming four-match home Test series against India. The former captain added that the top-ranked Test batsman and the Indian skipper Virat Kohli will finish at the behind of him.
Australian batsman Usman Khawaja is currently in the brilliant form with the bat. While he is known as one of the high-class performers at the home venues, his away performances are also improving in a good manner.
In the recently concluded two-match Test series against Pakistan in UAE, which ended with the 1-0 result in the favour of Pakistan, Khawaja finished as the leading runs scorer after scoring 229 runs with the average 76.33.
Observing the present performances, Ponting feels Khawaja will be the leading run-scorer in the upcoming Test series and will also be one of the top claimants to win the Player of the Series award.
Ponting told cricket.com.au, “He [Khwaja] is on top of his game, his record in Australia is outstanding. As much of a threat that the Indian fast bowlers might pose, I think he’s got a game that can cope with it here in Australia. I’m going with him to be the leading run scorer and man of the series.
“Right now he’s in a really good place, the selectors backed him through that UAE tour, gave him a chance and he came out (better) on the other side of that. With the skill that he’s got and maybe a bit more belief in his own game than ever before, I think he’s got the perfect package to have a great summer.”
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Though the Indian captain Virat Kohli is currently in a brilliant form with the bat, both in the home and away, and currently the top-ranked Test and ODI batsman too, Ponting believes Khawaja will pip him.
Ponting added, “(Khawaja) will just pip Kohli. Kohli will play well I’m sure because he does everywhere he goes and had a great series against Australia last time. Just where they’re starting in Adelaide and Perth – if they leave something in them, Kohli is a bit more vulnerable in those conditions than Melbourne and Sydney.”
Ponting wants the lively pitches for this Test series as he believes that it will be not easy for the Indian cricket team to win the series due to having the fast and bouncy pitches. India has never won a Test series on the Australian soil while they have won only five Tests on the Australian soil out of 44 Tests (hosts Australia won 28 Tests). Moreover, last time India won a Test in Australia in January 2008 at Perth.
Mentioning India’s Test history in Australia, Ponting said, “I’d love to see the pitches have a little bit in them because I think our batters will bat better against their (bowlers) with something in them than their (batters) will against ours. We’re talking 40 years of history with India coming to Australia and not being able to win because of the fast, bouncy nature of our pitches so I’d love to see them that way.
“If it’s a wicket in Perth like I saw for the one-dayer against South Africa then I can’t see India making too many at all – that was a one-dayer and that (pitch) went all over the shop, with good pace and good bounce.
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“With Adelaide being like it’s been the last couple of years, having a little bit more grass in the surface (will suit Australia). I’d like to see a little bit of grass left on them for the first two and then I think Australian can put the series to bed after two Tests.
“India need to get off to a really good start (in the series). If they get behind the eight ball if those first two games then they might fight back and win one Sydney or Melbourne, but it will be too late.”
