Michael Clarke is not sure if the upcoming Test series against Australia will be Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma‘s last tour Down Under, but if it is, their absence in the future will be due to retirement and not form. Kohli is 36, and Rohit 37, and it is likely that the two Indian stalwarts won’t return to Australia for the next Test series in another four years’ time. Which is why Clarke, the former Australia captain, wants to see the best out of Kohli and Rohit when the five-match series gets underway in Perth on November 22.
Kohli and Rohit’s collective form is a major headache for India ahead of what promises to be a gruelling Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. Rohit and Kohli, two of India’s most important and experienced batters are not among the runs, having tallied just 91 and 93 from six innings against New Zealand, which India lost by a comprehensive 0-3 margin. Heading into BGT, India have two additional things to take care of – the fact that they are on the cusp of becoming the only team to register a hat-trick of series wins in Australia and that a place in the final of the World Test Championship is still up for grabs. Without Kohli and Rohit firing, neither appears possible, and that’s exactly why Clarke has urged the two star batters to have a big, run-filled series under their belt.
“If it’s their last time here in Australia, I think it will be retirement. They won’t be dropped, but it the same breath, I think every cricketer knows that if you’re not making runs or taking wickets, there will be conversations around that kind of a thing. Being the captain of the team, you get a slack for that, and if you’re the world’s best batter for the last 10 years – maybe longer – across formats, I think Virat may get a bit more slack than somebody else,” Clarke said on ‘Around the Wicket’ podcast.
“I hope for this series’ sake, Test cricket’s sakes, they both come out, get back to their best form and score plenty of runs for India, but also Test cricket. We want to see the Australian attack which is a good one, take on the top-order batting of India which is pretty strong in itself.”
Why Michael Clarke is confident about Rohit and Kohli’s return to form
Kohli, in particular, has no reason to worry as he enters a territory and faces a team against which he’s tasted plenty of success. In 13 Tests in Australia, Kohli has amassed 1352 runs at an impressive average of 54.08. This includes the unforgettable 20-14/15 tour when Kohli pummelled 697 runs with four centuries – twin hundreds in Adelaide. Four years later, Kohli led India to their maiden Test series win in Australia. In 2020-21, Kohli had to leave the tour after the Adelaide Test due to the birth of his first child, all the more reason for him to be fiercely motivated and perform well.
In contrast, Rohit has an underwhelming record against the Aussies – just 708 runs from 12 Tests – but there is no better time to turn things around. Despite all odds stacked against them and India, Clarke feels by the time the series ends, Kohli and Rohit will have rekindled their glory days with the bat.
“I think they are probably coming into Australian conditions where they both like playing. Rohit Sharma plays fast bowling as good as anyone in that team. Certainly, short-pitch bowling – he’ll take the Aussie on with that hook shot and he plays it up over third man. And Virat is class. His record his phenomenal. He has scored six hundreds in 13 Tests, averages over 50 in Australian conditions,” Clarke said.
“My brain doesn’t say they’re going to come here and fail. They will be tough ton get out and I think the Australian bowlers will need to find a way to dismiss them both early in the innings as often as they possibly can.”