"Slight Favourites": Ricky Ponting Reveals His Prediction For WTC Final

Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting termed Australia as "slight favourites" over India to win the ICC World Test Championship final against India, which will start from June 7 onwards at The Oval. In an event ahead of the WTC final between India and Australia at The Oval, Ponting said that his side is slight favourite to win the title clash. He said that conditions at The Oval are more suited to Australia as compared to India. The Aussie great also said that the lack of cricket played by Australia in recent times and the heavy dosage of competitive cricket in IPL 2023 to Indian players could also decide the match's outcome.

"Australia is slight favourites. The conditions are more suited to Australia as compared to India. These two teams have beaten more opposition than they have lost to. They deserved to finish first and second. Australia has not cricket as of late. On the other side, almost all Indian players have played extremely competitive cricket in IPL. One side comes into this match as fresh, while the other side is tired. A lot of such factors would affect the match," said Ponting.

Ponting also expressed that he wanted the concept to be around during his playing days so that he could have got some experience of playing in the final as well, which he compared to a World Cup final.

The Aussie great feels that pacer Michael Neser, who has replaced an injured Josh Hazlewood in the squad could sit out in favour of pacer Scott Boland, who will take the place of Hazlewood in the playing eleven.

"Neser has been playing well in County cricket as of late. Boland's records are unbelievable. In Australia, when there was anything in the surface at all to help bowlers, Boland was our best bowler. I think he will take