Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting termed Australia as "slight favorites" over India to win the ICC World Test Championship final against India, which will start from 7th June onwards at The Oval. 

"Australia is slight favorite. The conditions are more suited to Australia as compared to India. These two teams have beaten more opposition than they have lost to. They deserved to finish first and second. Australia has not cricket as of late. On the other side, almost all Indian players have played extremely competitive cricket in IPL. One side comes into this match as fresh, while the other side is tired. A lot of such factors would affect the match," said Ponting.

Ponting also expressed that he wanted the concept to be around during his playing days so that he could have got some experience of playing in the final as well, which he compared to a World Cup final.

The Aussie great feels that pacer Michael Neser, who has replaced an injured Josh Hazlewood in the squad could sit out in favor of pacer Scott Boland, who will take the place of Hazlewood in the playing eleven.

"Neser has been playing well in County cricket as of late. Boland's records are unbelievable. In Australia, when there was anything in the surface at all to help bowlers, Boland was our best bowler. I think he will take Hazlewood's place."

Neser has been in good form as he bagged 19 wickets in England's Country Championship for Glamorgan. He had also scored a century against Sussex.

In seven matches for Australia in WTC 2021-23, Boland took 28 wickets at an average of 13.42 and an economy rate of 2.18. His best bowling figures are 6/7.