'Was asked to play WTC Final but...': Ponting responds to Nasser Hussain's query on Pandya

The Indian team was criticised by several cricketing experts for their decision to leave out the number one Test bowler Ravichandran Ashwin from the playing XI against Australia in the World Test Championship Final. Team India went with a combination of four seamers and one spin-bowling all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. However, besides all the criticism former England captain Nasser Hussain has raised his question on the availability of Hardik Pandya in Tests. Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting has replied to his query while doing the commentary in the WTC Final. 

'Where is Hardik Pandya?': Nasser Hussain 

While doing the commentary in the IND vs AUS WTC Final 2023, Nasser Hussain asked, "At the toss this morning, it was so clear that India weren't sure of their side and Australia were just as clear and Cameron Green had a lot to do with it. He just balances the team away from home in England. He is the kind of cricketer India would have liked. Undoubtedly, Shardul Thakur is a seam-bowling all-rounder. In India, you have Jadeja, Ashwin, and Axar Patel. He is a complete all-rounder in Indian conditions but when you go abroad what about a seam-bowling all-rounder? Where is Hardik Pandya?." 

READ: WTC Final, IND vs AUS live score

Ricky Ponting answers Nasser Hussain's query 

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting answered Nasser Hussain's query and said that Hardik Pandya was asked to play in the WTC Final but he denied it. Hardik had said that it would be unfair to all the other players who have played throughout the WTC cycle. Hardik Pandya made these comments while doing captaincy of the Indian team in Rohit Sharma's absence in the first ODI vs Australia in March 2023, Pandya was asked in the press conference for his availability in the WTC Final 2023. He replied then that he had not even contributed 10 percent to the team's cause to reach the WTC 2023 Final. 

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"That's the one line that was mentioned in today's remarks. He made it clear that he felt that his body would not survive the rigours Test cricket. He was thrown into a game like this, what do you think about playing in a game like this, just a one-off Test just to help balance the side? And apparently, his answer was that he didn't think it was fair to all of the people who have been leading the game over the years", Ricky Ponting said.