Virat Kohli vs Mitchell Starc: Their rivalry in Test cricket
What's the story
The much-awaited five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy between Australia and India is set to begin on November 22. The Optus Perth Stadium in Perth, a venue known to produce pacy and bouncy tracks, will host the series opener. Notably, the long-standing rivalry between Indian batter Virat Kohli and Australia's fiery seamer Mitchell Starc will renew. Here's how the battle has shaped over the years.
Rivalry
Starc has dismissed Kohli four times
Kohli and Starc first locked horns in the 2011/12 Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under. In a rivalry spanning over a decade, Starc has dismissed the Indian batter as many as four times in 19 innings. Meanwhile, Kohli has maintained a stunning average of 59.00 in this battle. His tally includes 236 runs off 394 balls. Kohli has smacked Starc for 33 fours.
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Kohli has an edge Down Under
Kohli has an incredible average of 83.00 against Starc in Tests Down Under. He has fallen to the Australian bowler twice in this regard. His dismissals came in the 2014/15 and 2018/19 series.
Form
Kohli in a downward spiral
Although Starc hasn't consistently taken Kohli's wicket in Tests, the upcoming series might turn the tide. Kohli has been in a downward spiral with 4, 1, 1, 17, and 0 in his recent outings. On the other hand, Starc played his last Test in March this year. However, he took a six-wicket haul in a recent Sheffield Shield encounter.
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Will Starc dominate Kohli in Perth?
Kohli will be wary of Starc in Perth. Pace and bounce remain the constant attributes of the surfaces in Perth. Western Australia Cricket head curator Isaac McDonald recently said, "I'm setting ourselves up for really good pace, really good bounce, and really good carry."