The India XI will probably be stacked with stars after they face Australia within the ICC World Test Championship closing however Ponting has known as for a keeper-batter to be handed a red-ball debut.

Ishan Kishan has impressed in 41 white-ball internationals for India since 2021 whether or not batting on the prime of the order or taking the gloves however is but to play a Test.

The 24-year-old proved he can flip a sport on its head when smashing 210 runs from 131 balls with 10 sixes and 24 boundaries whereas opening for India in an ODI in opposition to Bangladesh final December.

It is that form of devastating show that Ponting believes might finally show the distinction between the evenly-matched groups set to contest the WTC closing from June 7.

“I’d pick Ishan Kishan,” Ponting informed The ICC Review.

“If you wish to be topped the world champion, you must win the sport. Hence why there’s a sixth day that has been added to try to give each groups one of the best probability of a consequence. 

“I’d be going with Ishan Kishan if I was them in this game. I think it just provides that little bit of X-factor that you might need when pushing for a win in a Test match.”

KS Bharat was most well-liked for the 4 Tests within the latest sequence between India and Australia with Rishabh Pant unavailable after being concerned in a motorized vehicle accident in January.

The 29-year-old wicketkeeper is finest suited to the red-ball format and regarded snug when averaging 20.20 with the bat in opposition to Australia on difficult wickets, however might nonetheless be ignored for the winner-takes-all WTC Final.

“Obviously if Rishabh Pant is fit, he’s playing and he provides that X-factor for India,” Ponting mentioned.

“But with him not being there, and that is no blight on Bharat in any way, however I believe Kishan simply offers that little bit extra X-factor. 

“(Kishan) will do a good job with the gloves, but can provide that really high-scoring run rate that might be required in a one-off Test match to try and push for a win.”

All-rounder Hardik Pandya is commonly the participant to spark India within the white-ball format and could be a helpful addition to the line-up for the WTC closing however has not been included within the squad.

Pandya has not performed a Test since 2018 and was fast to rule himself out of competition for the WTC closing after electing to take a seat out of the five-day format attributable to ongoing health considerations.

But Ponting would have preferred to see the confirmed match-winner talked into being a part of the squad for the excessive stakes conflict at The Oval.

“The other really interesting thing that I thought about the other day for India in this game is how valuable someone like Hardik Pandya could be in a one-off Test match,” Ponting mentioned.

 “I do know he’s on report saying that the Test match sport might be a bit bit exhausting on his physique. But for a one-off sport… he is been bowling each sport via this IPL and he is bowling fast.

“He could be that X-factor there just to pick in a one-off game, come in and see what he can do with bat and ball. He could be the difference between the two teams.”