New Delhi [India], April 2 (ANI): Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has thrown his weight behind Rohit Sharma, stating that the Indian captain should not only be part of the Test squad for the series in England later this year but also continue to lead the side. Speaking on Backstage with Boria Season 6, Clarke emphasized Rohit’s importance across formats and dismissed any doubts about his future in red-ball cricket.
“No-brainer. Rohit is captain, Rohit is playing and Rohit is probably, if he wants to, then he is opening the batting. Look, he had just had a baby in Australia. Yes, he did not start the series as well, when he got there, as he would have liked.Then, he did what was best for the team. He thought the openers batted very well in Perth. ‘I do not want to change that. I want to put the team first’. So, he was not batting in his ideal position. It is the way it goes.Conditions were tough in Australia for batting. The ball was seaming. Swing is one thing. When it is seaming, it is extremely hard. And then again, I think he put the team first in that last Test match. He was out of form,” he told Boria.
“There were a number of players out of form. And I know as captain, you do not want to take too many out-of-form players into your team. You need some guys batting well and confident. So, he made a call there, but I do not think that call is the end of Rohit’s history. I think he should go to England for India’s sake. I think he should be captain. He should go to England and I think he will perform,” he added.
Despite Rohit’s recent struggles, Clarke feels has plenty of runs left in him across formats.
“I still think he has got a lot of runs to make in all three formats. I do. I believe he is one of the best white-ball players to have played the game. Back in the day when he was younger, he was underrated as well. Tactically, brilliant. Absolutely brilliant on the field. I think India is a better team with him in it, in all three formats,” Clarke stated.
While Rohit has retired from T20Is, Clarke sees him as a crucial player in ODIs and Tests. He even suggested that a middle-order role in Test cricket could suit him better.
“I think Rohit would be the perfect No. 5 in Test cricket. He plays the short ball well. So going all around the world … if you play in Australia or South Africa where there is extra pace and bounce, he plays the short ball well and he takes the spinners on. So, I just think he would be the ideal No. 5, but I know he loves opening the batting and I know he has had success opening the batting,” he noted.
“So, in Test cricket, does he open? Does he stay there? I probably think he does. And I think he will go to England, score runs, lead from the front. And I honestly think if [Jasprit] Bumrah is fit and [Mohammed] Shami is fit – and I know India have got some other good fast bowlers – I think India can win that series in England,” he added.
Clarke also spoke about Virat Kohli and said he keeps overcoming glitches in his form.
“Form is temporary, class is permanent. Honestly, the best players in the world are the best players in the world for a reason. It is the longevity. It is through the highs, through the lows. You pick yourself up when you are not performing. You go and do the work to get yourself back in form and you go and make runs for your team and help them win. Rohit Sharma will do that. He has done it his entire career. Virat Kohli is the same. Kohli has had form slumps, but generally it is because he is such a great player. Our expectations are so high,” he said.
“We think he can walk out to bat and make 100 every single day. That is not the game. It is too hard mentally and physically to do that day in, day out,” he added. ANI)
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