Last Updated:January 09, 2025, 21:01 IST

Michael Clarke has backed Virat Kohli to bounce back to form and even shared his two cents on how the Indian batting great can get back to his best.

Virat Kohli at the MCG [AP Photo]

The former Australian skipper, Michael Clarke remains adamant that Virat Kohli still has a lot to offer as a cricketer and quashed any talks of the Indian icon being dropped from the national team due to poor form.

Clarke, in an interview with RevSportz, hailed Kohli’s greatness and his contributions to Indian cricket recently. He also backed the senior batter to come good and be the leading run-scorer in India’s upcoming tour of England if they win the series.

If Virat wants to keep playing, he keeps playing. He is a once-in-a-generation player. He still has plenty of runs to offer. He is still a great batsman. In my opinion, you guys go to England for a five-Test match series. If you are to win that series, Virat Kohli has to be the leading run-scorer,” Clarke commented.

“He is still a great player. He made 100 in the first Test match in the second innings. He has still got that hunger. You can see when he gets out how disappointed he is. You can see him go to training every day and bat in the nets. This guy has plenty of runs still left in him,” he added.

One of the biggest concerns regarding Kohli’s batting abilities is his skill at leaving deliveries outside the off-stump line. Time and again, the senior pro has been caught in that channel, with almost every side plotting the same plan against the Indian batting great in recent times.

But Clarke reckons that Kohli should focus more on hitting the ball and getting a good start to his innings to lift his confidence, and the rest will follow. He also added that Kohli should stick to his guns and put pressure on the fielders with his quick running between the wickets.

“I think a lot of the times we talk about weaknesses or deficiencies, but Virat’s got a lot of strengths as well. One of his strengths is bat on ball. He is always like, especially starting his innings, hitting the ball. That gives him confidence. That gets him into the game,” Clarke shared.

Good runner between the wickets. I think it is as simple as sharper feet, head closer to the ball, foot closer to the ball, and then if he gets there and it is too wide, he will let that ball go,” he added.