Ricky Ponting can’t wait to see Ruturaj Gaikwad playing Test cricket after ‘extraordinary rise’ of Yashasvi Jaiswal, feels sorry for Sarfaraz Khan

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes that there are several young Indian batters, who can thrive at Test leven if given opportunity in the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.
Ricky Ponting was impressed with Yashasvi Jaiswal after the youngster scored a brilliant 171 on his Test debut and said he feels Ruturaj Gaikwad could do exactly the same if given a chance.
“I mean (Yashasvi) Jaiswal’s IPL was something special. He almost just flicked a switch and turned into a superstar overnight,” Ponting said in the recent episode of The ICC Review.

“Everyone knew that he was a talented youngster, but what I saw in this year’s IPL, he’s got all sorts of talent.”
“There’s a lot of those young Indian guys that I can’t wait to see play Test cricket and yet you look at their domestic records as well and you can’t help but be impressed,” Ponting said.
“I’m on record saying that I think (Ruturaj) Gaikwad’s the same (as Jaiswal). I think he could be a very serious Test match player or all-format player really in the next couple of years.”
Ponting also admitted he felt bad for Sarfaraz Khan, who averages almost 70 in first-class cricket and is not being given a chance the Indian selectors.
“The one I do feel a little bit sorry for is Sarfaraz Khan. The fact that he hasn’t got a look in a Test squad just yet considering he averages in the high 80s I think in first-class cricket, which is absolutely unheard of, but for some reason, they keep picking these other guys ahead of him,” Ponting said on Sarafarz, with whom he has worked closely at the Delhi Capitals in the IPL.
Ponting still feels the out of favour opener Prithvi Shaw can still make it to the Indian team and he puts him in the in the same bracket as Jaiswal and Sarfaraz.

“If I wind the clock back a couple of years, I’d put Prithvi Shaw into that category as well. I still think he’s capable of getting back to that sort of, you know, if he wants to do it enough, I’m sure he can get back up there because talent-wise there’s no doubt in the talent he’s got,” he said.
“So, yeah, I probably do think those two guys would be the standouts. I think just off the top of my head, batting-wise, they’d be the two. And as I said, well Sarfaraz is the other one that’s got all sorts of talent that we might not see for a little while just yet,” he added.