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Former Australian captain Michael Clarke has come out in strong support for Virat Kohli following his disastrous Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024025 campaign, urging the Indian cricket team management to keep faith in the icon batsman despite his recent struggles in Test cricket.
Speaking on the Beyond23 Cricket podcast, Michael Clarke acknowledged Kohli’s weak position but said that his immense talent and unparalleled impact on the game make him so unpredictable, as he could score a double hundred any day, and then his experience is an added advantage for team.
Michael Clarke defends Virat Kohli’s place in India’s Test team amid struggles
Notably, Virat Kohli’s form has been a matter of concern as he managed just 190 runs in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, after starting the Australian tour with a 100 in the first Test in Perth. Kohli’s overall record for the 2024-25 season is alarming, with just 382 runs in 10 matches at an average of 22.87, including a solitary century and a half-century to his name.
Despite the numbers, Clarke strongly defended the dashing right-hander, claiming that had he been captain, he would have “battled with the team management” to ensure Kohli remained part of India’s Test line-up. Despite Kohli’s recent form, the former Australian captain believes that the Indian cricket team would be the only one to lose if Kohli retires from Test cricket.
If he retires from Test cricket now, there is only one team to lose and that is India: Michael Clarke
Michael Clarke said on the Beyond23 Cricket podcast: “It’s Virat Kohli! This guy can make double hundred tomorrow. He is such a good player. This guy could play; he should play until he’s had enough. If he retires from Test cricket now, there is only one team to lose: India. If I was the captain of any team that Virat Kohli was in, even though I know he didn’t make as many runs as he would have liked, I am fighting for him to stay in my team.”
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Meanwhile, Clarke also addressed criticism of Kohli’s dismissals in the recent Test series in Australia. After his similar dismissals, many recalled how Sachin Tendulkar famously dodged camouflage runs during his legendary double hundred at the SCG to suggest the former Indian captain regain his form by following in his idol’s footsteps.
Michael Clarke responds to calls for Virat Kohli to emulate Sachin Tendulkar’s SCG strategy
However, the former Australian batsman pointed out that both Indian batting icons Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli are two all-time greats but their playing styles are fundamentally different.
Michael Clarke explained that while Tendulkar famously avoided cover during his double hundred at the SCG, Kohli’s strength lies in his unique batting style, particularly his aggressive approach to playing with the ball.
Clarke signed off by saying, “Sachin was a different player to Virat Kohli. A lot of people have been saying this Australian summer that Sachin has done it in a Test match. He came out of cover driving a couple of times and then let him make 200 at the SCG. Sachin is a different player than Virat. Virat’s greatest strength is his bat on the ball. He just plays it in a different way.”
