'Virat Kohli is one step closer to...' - Michael Clarke's colossal remark on struggling India batter

Former Australia captain Michael Clarke believes India's Virat Kohli is extremely close to scoring something big in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8s.

Virat Kohli, who is opening the innings with Rohit Sharma, was not able to display his class in the T20 World Cup Group stages. The former India captain was expected to take the World Cup by storm as he entered the tournament on the back of a sensational IPL 2024 season.

Virat Kohli's slump in form

Virat Kohli had finished as the highest run-scorer of the Indian Premier League season, scoring 741 runs from 15 outings at his best-ever strike rate. He won the Orange Cap for the first time since the 2016 IPL when he had captained the Royal Challengers Bengaluru to the finale where they lost to the SunRisers Hyderabad.

Scoring 741 runs was almost as if Virat Kohli was taking a walk in the park as he did so very effortlessly on the flat batting surfaces. However, in the T20 World Cup, Kohli has struggled to find form in the difficult conditions in New York where India played all of their 3 Group matches with the 4th one against Canada experiencing a washout.

Scoring runs as an opener has not been easy for any batter as even the best of bests are finding it tough. But given the kind of player he has been, Virat Kohli is expected to stage a remarkable return with 2015 World Cup-winning captain Michael Clarke claiming that he is very close to doing so.

What did Michael Clarke say about Kohli?

While speaking to ESPNCricinfo, Michael Clarke affirmed that Virat Kohli is very close to scoring a big knock. The former Aussie skipper feels that 3 low scores do not mean anything as big players often show up and fightback when they find their backs against the wall.

"But they have gone with him at the top of the order where he bats in the IPL. He had a great IPL, so you can understand their reason for doing that. I wouldn't (be) concerned about 3 low scores. All that means to me he is one step closer to making a big one. It's the most important stage as well where the best players usually stand up," Clarke said.

Clarke further admitted that the surfaces in this T20 WC has not been easy for the batters to score runs. He also supported the management's decision to back him as an opener after the successful IPL 2024 season he had in April-May.

"I think if they feel that's their best 11, then keep him there. He has been playing on a pitch that has been tough for opening batters. I don't think 3 low scores make any difference to Kohli. If India feels it is their best 11 by him opening the bat. Because there was a lot of talk throughout the IPL that Virat was going to bat at No.3 in this Indian team," Michael Clarke concluded.