‘A class player, he knew exactly what his team needed’ – Michael Clarke thinks on Virat Kohli’s innings in CT 2025 vs Australia

After defeating Australia by four wickets in a fiercely contested semi-final on Tuesday, Team India guaranteed their place in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final. With a solid 84-run innings, Virat Kohli once again led his team to victory and spearheaded India’s victorious 265-run chase. Kohli received a tonne of acclaim from former Australian captain Michael Clarke, who referred to him as the best one-day cricketer of all time for his ability to perform well under duress.

After losing both openers, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, in the first eight overs of their chase, the Men in Blue found themselves in early danger.

But the team was able to rebound because to the 91-run partnership between Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer, which stabilised the innings. T

he seasoned batsman maintained a strike rate of 85.71 throughout, dealing with just singles and doubles and hitting just five boundaries.

“He made another excellent assessment of the situation. Being a top-tier player, he understood exactly what his team required and how to position them against the opposition. In his century against Pakistan, we witnessed the same. Virat has every shot in the book; his ability to set limits is undeniable. He is the best one-day cricket player of all time, in my opinion, and he keeps proving it on the biggest platform, under the most pressure. On JioHotstar, Clarke stated exclusively, “He knows what to do, and he delivers when it matters most.”

Their collaboration won the match: Michael Clarke

However, with 45 runs, Shreyas Iyer also contributed significantly to the Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal run chase. His aggressive style, according to Clarke, enabled India easily defeat the spinners and advance through the middle overs.

“He had a great performance. His batting partner is relieved of pressure because of his aggressive style, high intent, and constant desire to play his shots. The combination of him and Virat Kohli is ideal. Virat’s background enables him to calm Shreyas and provide guidance when required. They were undoubtedly a match-winning tandem. The game may have been entirely different if Australia had broken that streak sooner, particularly by getting Virat out, but they were able to capture a few wickets. However, he continued, “India deserves praise for their outstanding performance.

When Kohli tried an inside-out shot over covers and was dismissed to Adam Zampa in the 43rd over, Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul made sure India made it to the end. With four wickets remaining, Rahul’s undefeated 42 off 34 balls, including the game-winning six, and Pandya’s 28 off 24 balls enabled the team secure victory. Now, on March 9 in Dubai, Rohit and company will play the winner of the second semi-final between South Africa and New Zealand.