Daijiworld Media Network- New Delhi

New Delhi, Jan 9: Former Australian skipper Michael Clarke has thrown his weight behind Indian cricket maestro Virat Kohli, urging team management to stand by the star batter despite his recent dip in Test form.

Speaking on the Beyond23 Cricket podcast, Clarke lauded Kohli's proven track record and ability to turn games around. “This is Virat Kohli we’re talking about! He could score a double century tomorrow. If he retires from Test cricket right now, there’s only one team losing out—it’s India,” he remarked.

While Kohli scored a century in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he failed to deliver in the remaining matches, inviting criticism over his dismissals outside the off-stump. Some even compared his struggles to Sachin Tendulkar’s adjustment at the SCG during his famous double hundred.

However, Clarke dismissed such parallels. “Sachin and Virat are different players. Sachin avoided cover drives to adjust, but Virat’s strength is his aggressive bat-on-ball approach. He plays differently,” Clarke explained.

Clarke added that if he were captain, he would "fight to keep Kohli in the team," emphasizing the batter’s pivotal role in the Indian lineup.