Michael Clarke on Adelaide Test: ‘Kohli’s Century Is a Bigger Threat Than Defeat’

Published On: December 4, 2024 6:14 am

Following Virat Kohli’s spectacular century in Perth, Michael Clarke raised the alarm for Australia.

Michael Clarke, the former captain of Australia, said that he was anxious for the hosts after Virat Kohli scored a century in the opening Test match against Australia at Optus Stadium in Perth. When asked to pick India’s top run scorer for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Clarke immediately named the Indian batting virtuoso, saying that Kohli’s incredible century in the first game of the series served as a warning to the Australian squad.

“It’s one thing to lose a Test match, but I’m really afraid of Virat Kohli hitting a hundred in the opening game. He will, in my opinion, be India’s top run scorer in this series,” Clarke stated in a podcast.

After a period of close examination of his form, Kohli achieved his century. Many had questioned if Kohli could succeed against Australia’s formidable bowling attack as he struggled to establish his rhythm in recent Test series, notably a dismal series against New Zealand in which he could only score 93 runs.

However, the 36-year-old showed that he is back to his best in Perth with a brilliant hit in response. Kohli has already amassed seven Test hundreds in Australia, and his performance in the opening Test made it clear that he will be a formidable opponent for the whole of the series.

Kohli expects a significant milestone.

As we look ahead to the second Test, Kohli is poised to shatter a number of important marks that would solidify his place in cricket history. The renowned Sachin Tendulkar, who currently holds the record with Kohli after both players scored nine hundreds in the coveted series, would be surpassed if Kohli were to score another century in the Adelaide Test, making him the first player to score ten centuries in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

India will try to bury the memories of the past in the match during the day/night second Test in Adelaide. India suffered a significant loss during the 2020–21 tour after being bowled out for just 36 in the second innings of their most recent pink-ball Test match in Adelaide. But later on, India managed to win the series 2-1.