The 2023 ODI World Cup is all set to take place in India as the Men in Blue will look to win the trophy in front of the home crowds. However, Rishabh Pant is most likely to miss the event for India. In the recent series, team management have used KL Rahul as a wicketkeeping option. But, hie form with the bat has become a concern.
Apart from him, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan are the available options for Team India. Now, the former World Cup winning captain from Australia, Ricky Ponting came up with his preferred wicketkeeping options for the Men in Blue in the World Cup. He backed KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan as two options and seeing that, fans slammed him brutally on social media.
“I think in their World Cup squad, KL will definitely be there. I think Ishan Kishan should definitely be there” - Ricky Ponting
On the review show of the Apex Council of Cricket, Ricky Ponting said that India have space for both KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan in the squad while Ishan can become a left-handed option in the batting lineup. He said: "Look, I do think they'll stick with him. I think in their World Cup squad, KL will definitely be there. I think Ishan Kishan should definitely be there as well to give another left-handed batting option because if you look back to game three, they promoted Axar and Jadeja ahead of Surya because of Ashton Agar and the balls spinning away from the right-handers.”
"With Rishabh not being there now, they might think of maybe wanting to play a specialist left-handed batter in the middle order which I think would have to be Ishan Kishan in some role, whether that's at No.4 or No.5. Just to negate teams that have got left-arm off-spin because when you look at the spinners around the world now, there are very few right-arm off-spinners in ODIs and T20Is,” Ponting further added.
"So I think they'll go into that World Cup with the two keepers in their squad and they'll make the decision on what they need as far as their batting is concerned," Ricky Ponting concluded.
Here are some tweets to slam Ponting for backing these players:
Pakka Harana Chahata hai India Ko
— Nikhil94 (@gomasenikhil9) April 7, 2023
Iska matlab in dono ko bilkul select nahi karna
— bekarpost2.0 (@gauravr97969015) April 7, 2023
Sanju Samson ko bhool gaya kaise ye pic.twitter.com/Cdwlll8bHE
— Dr. Shardul Thakur 🇮🇳🗨 (@asliwiseman) April 7, 2023
Haa wo toh australia ka hi faayeda dekhega na
— Monu (@HawaKaJhokaaa) April 7, 2023
Clearly running aussie agenda here
— BunnTea (@mokarram_iqbal) April 7, 2023
Sanju haina bhai kisiko jaroorat nhi
— Mayank Kushwaha (@mayankushwaha) April 7, 2023
Ricky ponting toh chahta india haare
— Bhains ki aankh (@Nik_Pratik) April 7, 2023
Becoz he wants Australia to Win Easily
— DHRUV⚽ (@Being_Dhruv_) April 7, 2023
Rickt Ponting trying his best so Australia can win 6th World Cup
— Cric Top Class (@crictopclass) April 7, 2023