Virat Kohli will definitely take over in time; but for the moment, it's MS Dhoni: Michael Clarke

He is the man everyone is talking about. Having completed a very difficult comeback, Michael Clarke is looking all set to captain Australia to World Cup glory. Braving criticism from the Australian press, Clarke is confident of his own ability and support of his teammates. His only goal now, as he tells is to perform consistently as a team over the next month-and-a-half. Excerpts from this exclusive WC ET interview:

So, how's the hamstring holding?

Very good mate, thank you. I am getting back to full fitness, feeling really good, enjoying my time in the middle and am ready and keen to go out there and play for Australia. It has been hard but I am looking forward to the challenge.

When you got injured in Brisbane and mentioned in the press conference that your career might well be over, did you think that you could be back so soon and captain Australia in the World Cup?

No, I must say I did not. At the time I had even thought that my career might well be over. I had done my hamstring. My back, which has always been a problem since I was 17, was hurting badly. But I have worked very hard since and here I am fit and ready to take the field.

At the time of Phil Hughes’ funeral, you were the media’s blue-eyed boy. But since then, the Australian media have been scathing. How do you see such criticism? How have the players reacted to you coming back?

The media have a job to do. They have to sell papers, get people to watch their programmes. As far as I am concerned I know who I am and what I need to do. The media doesn’t know that all this time I have been in constant touch with the boys, watched every match and spoken to them on the phone. The boys have welcomed me with open arms and I am confident they believe in me like they have always done.

With David Warner, Aaron Finch, Shane Watson, Steven Smith, you, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Johnson, James Faulkner, Australia look invincible. Are you guys the favourites?

I don’t think any team ever can be unbeatable. The very best of teams can lose and that’s the reality. Having said that, I agree with you that we have a very good side with a number of quality players who know what is expected of them. However, it is a long tournament and we need to be consistent and peak at the right time. While it is great to win every game, it is also important that we keep improving as the tournament goes on and get into our best rhythm come the quarter finals.

Is Hughes an extra motivation?

Yes, he is. I think of him every day when I get up. He is my screensaver on my phone. In many ways it is for him and about him. So definitely my brother Phil is with us in spirit and I’d love to do well for him in this World Cup.