The 16th edition of the Indian Premier League is over and Chennai Super Kings has won their fifth title under the captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. After this team, India will cruise to the final of the World Test Championship where they will face the Australian Cricket team from June 7 at the oval. Meanwhile, former Australian captain Ricky Ponting believes that Team India had the option to include all-rounder Hardik Pandya in their team for the upcoming World Test Championship final 2021.

Ponting feels that Hardik Pandya’s versatile skills could have made a significant impact in the WTC final against Australia. Despite not playing a Test match since 2018 and being kept out from the longest format due to ongoing fitness concerns.

While writing for the ICC review, Ponting opined, “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.”

“I know he is on record saying that the Test match game is probably a little bit hard on his body. But for a one-off game… he’s been bowling every game through this IPL and he’s bowling quick,” he added.

The head coach of the Delhi Capitals further emphasized that Hardik Pandya could have been the X-factor for the Indian team in the World Test Championship final. With his ability to excel in both batting and bowling, Pandya’s presence could have provided an unreal advantage to the Indian side.

“He (Pandya) 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,” the 48-year-old added.

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