WTC final: India vs Australia | Ponting feels India should have Suryakumar Yadav in squad, backs Kishan to provide X factor

Batting great Ricky Ponting is a tad surprised that Suryakumar Yadav doesn’t feature in India’s main squad for next month’s World Test Championship final but backed Ishan Kishan to provide the much-needed ‘X’ factor in the absence of injured Rishabh Pant.

Batting great Ricky Ponting is a tad surprised that Suryakumar Yadav doesn't feature in India's main squad for next month's World Test Championship final but backed Ishan Kishan to provide the much-needed 'X' factor in the absence of injured Rishabh Pant.

Pant, who is recovering from injuries that he suffered in a horrific car crash in December, was India's go to batter in case of a top-order failure, especially in overseas conditions.

Suryakumar, who made his Test debut against Australia at home earlier this year, could do the same for the team but he is only among the standby players. An injury to K L Rahul has made way for Kishan, who Ponting thinks can help India play an aggressive brand of cricket in their quest for a first ICC title in 10 years.

Asked if Suryakumar should have been in the squad, Ponting expressed surprised and said "yes".

"But there is another X factor that has just been added in Ishan Kishan. If you look at the way he plays, he is probably the most like Rishabh Pant with his potential to keep and bat in the middle order.

"If they do play those guys they should be given the right to play an aggressive brand of cricket.

"The best chance for India to achieve a result is by being a bit more adventurous in the way they play and Australia will try to do the same thing," said Ponting in response to a PTI query in an event organised by the International Cricket Council ahead of the WTC final at the Oval from June 7.