India's batting juggernaut Virat Kohli has faced intense criticism following his flop show with the bat in the just-concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-2025 against Australia. With the exception of the Perth Test, Kohli couldn't do much with the bat in the entire series. His batting technique has come under scrutiny, as he repeatedly fell victim to deliveries outside the off-stump, edging them to the wicketkeeper or slips. This pattern of dismissals has raised concerns about his current form and ability to adapt.
Kohli's struggles in Australia were evident in the five-Test outing where he scored just 190 runs. This poor run of form has fueled calls for his retirement from Test cricket, particularly with the upcoming series against England on the horizon.
However, former Australian captain Michael Clarke believes that Kohli still possesses the talent and determination to succeed at the highest level.
Clarke also said that this is not the right time for Kohli to step away from Test cricket as it won't help Team India in any which way.
"It's Virat Kohli! This guy can make a double hundred tomorrow. He's that good a player. This guy could play, he should play until he's had enough. If he retires from Test cricket right now, there's only one team losing out, it's India," Clarke said on the Beyons23 Cricket Podcast.
"If I was 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'm fighting for him to stay in my team,” he further added.
Clarke also spoke on Kohli's comparison with batting great Sachin Tendulkar. He said that Kohli's greatest strength is bat on ball while Sachin was a different player altogether.
"Sachin was a different player to Virat Kohli. A lot of people during this Australian summer were saying Sachin did it in a Test match. He got out cover driving a couple of times and then let it go to make a 200 at the SCG. Sachin is a different player to Virat. Virat's greatest strength is bat on ball. He just plays it in a different way," he concluded.
Since 2020, Kohli's performance in Test cricket has gone downhill. In nine innings of Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he managed to score only 190 runs at an average of 23.75, with just one century to his name.
Kohli's next opportunity to play Test cricket will come during the tour of England in June. As his poor form persists, questions arise about his future in the longest format. Whether he chooses to address his weaknesses and strive for a resurgence or opt to retire from Test cricket remains to be seen.