On Ravindra Jadeja vs R Ashwin WTC Final Dilemma, Ricky Ponting Picks 'More Skilled' Bowler

Can both Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin be a part of India's playing XI for the World Test Championship final against Australia? The tricky question doesn't seem to have a finite answer, at least until the conditions at the Oval become absolutely clear. The opinions over Jadeja vs Ashwin have been divided, with certain experts preferring left-arm spinner while others going with the right-armer. Ricky Ponting, however, feels the Indian team management will pick both Jadeja and Ashwin the team, although the latter is clearly the 'more skilled and better Test bowler' for the Australian legend.

"I actually think they will pick Jadeja and Ashwin," Ponting said on The ICC Review. "Jadeja can hold down that No.6 batting spot. His batting has improved that much that they can pick him as a batter that might just bowl a few overs if required."

As far as the bowling department goes, Ponting has no doubt that Ashwin is a better choice than Jadeja.

"There is no doubt that Ashwin is a more skilled and better Test bowler than what Jadeja is", Ponting said.

Ponting is betting on both Jadeja and Ashwin to be picked as he believes the duo could turn out to be highly impactful when the ball starts to turn on Day 4 and Day 5 of the WTC final.

"But if Jadeja can hold down that batting spot, and then as the game goes on getting into the fourth and fifth day, if it does start to turn, then you've got that really high class second spin bowling option. That's certainly what I'd be doing," he said.

India had picked both Jadeja and Ashwin in the playing XI during the 2021 WTC final. While Ashwin picked a total of four wickets in the match, Jadeja only managed to take one.