Former Australian captain and cricket icon Ricky Ponting has named Josh Hazlewood as a great player for the much-anticipated Test series between India and Australia.
Having overlooked Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon and even India’s pace sensation Jasprit Bumrah, Ponting has predicted that Josh Hazlewood will emerge as the top wicket-taker in the upcoming Test series.
Josh Hazlewood’s exceptional form and consistency in recent Test matches has inspired Ricky Ponting to pick the Australian pacer as the leading wicket-taker in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 against India starting on November 22 in Perth.
Ricky Ponting backs Josh Hazlewood as man of the match in India-Australia Test series.
As Australia prepare to rotate their bowling attack against a demanding schedule, Ponting believes Josh Hazlewood will play a key role throughout the high-tension five-match Test series against the Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team.
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Hazlewood’s solid form and adaptability make him a reliable figure on both spin and seamer-friendly tracks, making him Ponting’s choice to lead the wicket-taker in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 against India at home.
Hazlewood has already established himself as the top-scoring Australian bowler in the current WTC cycle, consistently highlighting his ability to cause trouble and disrupt the batting line-up. With 51 wickets so far in the 2023-25 WTC cycle, Hazlewood’s efficiency has set the stage for a record-breaking series performance.
I’ll go with him for the leading wicket-taker: Ricky Ponting
Ricky Ponting said in the latest edition of The ICC Review: “I think Hazlewood, who has been left out of the Australian shows, is right now and is probably at the peak of his powers more than the other guys. Therefore, I will go with him to the leading goalkeeper.
Apart from the bowling department, Ponting hinted at an interesting battle for runs. He predicted that either Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant or Australian batting maestro Steve Smith will emerge as the leading run-scorer in the upcoming Test series.
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With Steve Smith set to return to his favored No.4 position, Ponting is backing the former captain to lead the Aussie batting line-up from the front against India. After an experimental stint at the top level, Smith’s return to his preferred slot is expected to allow him more stability, where his tactical prowess and shot selection can flourish in the upcoming Test series.
Ponting predicts Rishabh Pant or Steve Smith to emerge as leading run-scorer in BGT 2024-25
The Australian cricket icon further noted, “I think Smith probably feels like he’s got more points to prove that he’s moved back to No. 4 … maybe he shouldn’t have gone to open in the first place and No. 4 is where he belongs and probably all should have been during the time and is probably where he ended his career now.”
Ponting signed off by saying, “And with Rishabh on the side and probably coming in to bat in the middle order when the ball has lost a bit of shine, a bit of hardness and the shape it’s in, I’ll go. as one of the leading scorers for him.”
