Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024: The IND vs AUS Test series is just few days away and the entire cricketing world waits in anticipation for this blockbuster contest. The biggest superstars of the ‘gentleman’s game’ such as Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Pat Cummins, Mitchel Starc and others will have a go at each other for the coveted Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The Aussies last won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2014.

India are coming off a 3-0 home series loss against New Zealand and it has dented their hopes of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 Finals. In order to even fancy a berth in the WTC Finals, the Indian cricket team will have to win four out of the five Test matches in Australia. India will have to beat Australia 4-0 to play that prestigious final at Lord’s next year.

Michael Clarke Contradicts Ricky Ponting

There is a lot of noise around Virat Kohli and his recent form. The former India skipper looked far from his best in the recently concluded IND vs NZ Test series. India will miss the services of Rohit Sharma in the first Test match and they’ll highly rely on Virat Kohli to get them the required runs. As the norm is, the former and current Australian players love to talk about the visiting teams and this time too, it hasn’t been any different.

Few weeks back, former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting had voiced his concerns regarding Virat Kohli’s place in the Indian. Ponting cited that Kohli scored only two (three) Test hundreds in the last five years. Now, his compatriot and his former teammate Michael Clarke has opened up on the impact that Virat Kohli has and how his records in Australia speak for him.

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‘Virat Kohli’s record in Australia in phenomenal. I actually think his record is better than what it is in India. I think he’s got six hundreds in 13 Tests in Australia. If India are to win this series, it has to be Virat Kohli leading run-scorer with Rishabh Pant just behind‘, said Clarke while speaking on the  TAB YouTube channel.

Virat Kohli’s Uncertain Future

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Undoubtedly, Virat Kohli is in the final phase of his career and has accomplished almost everything that was there for the grabs. After India’s 3-0 home series loss to New Zealand, several reports floated around that Kohli’s fortune was heavily dependant on the outcome of the Borer-Gavaskar Trophy and his performance in the series. Kohli has always relished challenges and once again, he’ll look to thrive under pressure.