Home Cricket Hardik, Jasprit in Ponting’s Top 5 World T20I players

Hardik, Jasprit in Ponting’s Top 5 World T20I players

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Hardik, Jasprit in Ponting’s Top 5 World T20I players

Former Australia cricket captain Ricky Ponting said that India’s Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah are certain choices in his top five World T20I players.

Since returning to international cricket in June, Pandyahas been impressive with his all-round performances guiding India to a number of victories. “On current form, it’s pretty hard to go past Hardik Pandya at number three. His IPL was outstanding. To see him back at the bowling crease is something that I was always a little bit unsure would actually ever happen – he’s had some really big injury setbacks, which has obviously affected how much he’s been able to play for India.”

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“But he’s back bowling, and at 140kph which he was doing four or five years ago. But his batting and his maturity while batting have come on in leaps and bounds. He understands the game better and he understands his game better than ever before and right now he’s probably the best all-rounder in the world in T20 cricket, and could potentially be in ODI cricket,” Ponting pointed out on the ICC Review.

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Bumrah, meanwhile, is out of the Asia Cup 2022 after suffering a back injury, but received praise from the former Australia cricket great. “Jasprit Bumrah in at number five. He is probably the most complete bowler across Test cricket, One Day cricket and T20 cricket in the world right now. Very good with the new ball when anyone decides to use him that way.”

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“India might think of giving him an over with the new ball in Australia (at the T20 World Cup) where it might swing but what you can guarantee is a couple of great high-quality death overs, which every team is looking for – someone that can execute slow balls and bouncers,” added Ponting.

Ponting also named other players including Pakistan captain Babar Azam, England’s limited overs skipper Jos Buttler and wily Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan.

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