Former World Cup-winning Australian captain Ricky Ponting believes hosts Team India are the ‘team to beat’ within the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Rohit Sharma’s Team India are at present within the primary place on the Points Table with three wins in three matches.
India has kicked off their ICC World Cup 2023 journey on a excessive observe, marking decisive wins in opposition to formidable groups like Australia, Afghanistan, and their long-time rival, Pakistan. With aspirations of securing their third World Cup title, following triumphs in 1983 and 2011, the Men-in-Blue are displaying promising momentum.
“I said from the start that I think they’re going to be the team to beat. They’ve got a very talented team. They’ve got all bases covered with their fast bowling, their spin and their top-order, middle-order batting,” Ponting informed the ICC.
“They’re going to be extremely hard to beat. But we’ll see how they hold up under extreme pressure as well,” he added.
In a memorable face-off with Pakistan, India clinched an exciting seven-wicket win, sealing the sport with 117 balls remaining in Ahmedabad. Pakistan’s innings crumbled from a steady 155/2 to 191 all out, primarily on account of shedding eight wickets for simply 36 runs.
Rohit Sharma’s spectacular knock of 86 was instrumental in steering India to victory. The bowling assault was equally commendable, with 5 Indian bowlers claiming two wickets apiece. Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav had been pivotal in initiating the downfall, following Mohammed Siraj’s very important dismissal of Babar Azam.
“He’s very laid back, Rohit. Very laid back with everything he does,” Ponting informed the ICC whereas sharing his sensible views powered by DP World. “You may even see that by the way in which that he performs. He’s a fairly laconic kind of batsman as effectively, and that is the way in which he’s each on and off the sector.
“We can’t sit back and say that the pressure won’t get to them at some stage, or it won’t affect them, because it will, just with the enormity of the tournament. But he’ll take it and cope with it as well as probably anyone,” Ponting stated about Rohit Sharma.
“I think they’re going to be the team to beat.” _
Ricky Ponting discusses India’s prospects for victory at #CWC23 in his sensible views powered by @DP_World.https://t.co/wLfYH00BWG
— ICC (@ICC) October 17, 2023
Rohit has captained India in ODIs since taking the reins from Virat Kohli in each white-ball codecs since December 2021. Ponting believes Rohit Sharma is the perfect captain for India in all codecs of the sport.
“Someone like Virat, who is a bit more heart-on-the-sleeve, and probably listens to the fans and plays up with the fans a little bit more, someone with his personality would probably find it a bit harder,” Ponting stated.
“But I think Rohit will be fine with it. He’s a terrific bloke and has been a great player for a long time, and he’s done a great job as leader of India,” the Australian captain felt.
India’s fourth match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 will probably be in opposition to Bangladesh on the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Thursday.
