Batting legend Ricky Ponting feels that India should have picked Hardik Pandya in their squad for the World Test Championships final against Australia in London, saying his all-round abilities could have turned out to be the deciding factor in the one-off game.

Pandya has not played a Test since 2018 and he has opted sit out of the five-day format due to ongoing fitness concerns.

But Ponting felt Pandya could have played in the winner-takes all clash at The Oval from 7th 11th June.

Ponting wrote for the ICC Review, 'I thought about the other day for India in this game is how valuable someone like Hardik Pandya could be in a one-off Test match. I know he is on record saying that the Test match game is probably a little bit hard on his body. But for a one-off game he has been bowling every game through this IPL and he is bowling quick.'

The former Australia captain, also the head coach of Delhi Capitals in the IPL, said Pandya could have been the X-factor for the Indian team in the WTC final beginning on 7th June.

"He (Pandya) could be that X-factor there just to pick in a one-off game, come in and see what he can do with bat and ball. He could be the difference between the two teams."

The 29-year-old Pandya has played in 11 Tests till now after making his debut in 2017, scoring 532 runs at an average of 31.29 with one hundred and four fifties. He has taken 17 wickets at an average of 31.05.