New Delhi: All eyes will be on Team India star Virat Kohli when the visitors take on Australia in the highly-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 which is set to get underway on Friday, November 23. With skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill all set to miss the 1st Test in Perth, Kohli will have to shoulder the majority of the run-scoring responsibilities in the top order.
It has not been a forgetful year for Kohli in Tests so far with the senior India batter failing to score big consistently in the longest format. Kohli has so far managed only 250 runs in six matches this year averaging an abysmal 22.72 without a single half-century. In the recently concluded Test series against New Zealand at home, the premier India batter managed only 93 runs in 3 matches at an average of less than 16.
However, the 36-year-old will be eyeing redemption in Australia which has been a happy hunting ground for him in Tests over the years. Some of Kohli’s best-ever knocks have come Down Under and the former India captain enjoys the challenges of performing in pace-friendly conditions in Australia. He has a terrific record in Tests in the country and will be hoping to extend his domination in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
However, it won’t be an easy tour for Kohli considering his age and poor form as he will be heavily tested by the Australian pace attack and seasoned spinner Nathan Lyon, who would have been licking his lips after watching the Indian batter’s struggles against spin. Nonetheless, Kohli’s biggest challenge will be to excel against the Aussie pace attack and come out on top against the likes of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins among others.
Virat Kohli vs Mitchell Starc – Who will win the battle of titans?
Virat Kohli’s battle with Australian pace spearhead Mitchell Starc will be the one to watch out for in the upcoming series. Kohli and Starc have faced each other on several occasions across formats and have also enjoyed some fearsome battles in Test cricket. Overall, Kohli has dominated the Australian pacer having shone against him in Tests.
Kohli and Starc have faced each other in seven Test matches in Australia where the Indian batter has scored 166 runs having faced 264 balls from the left-arm pacer. Kohli has struck 21 boundaries and has been dismissed only twice in the 7 matches by Starc. He has an impressive Test strike rate of 62.9 and an average of 83 against Starc in Tests on Aussie soil.
Overall too, Kohli has done well against Starc in Tests having notched up 236 runs against him off 394 balls across 13 Test matches. He has been dismissed only 4 times by Starc in Test cricket overall. Kohli has an average of 59 against Starc in Tests overall and will be looking to continue his impressive against the left-arm pacer in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
It will be an interesting one-on-one battle between the duo as Kohli might be promoted to no.3 in the absence of Gill in the 1st Test and might have to face Starc with the new ball on a pitch that will aide the pacer with swing and bounce. How Kohli fares against Starc and the other Aussie pacers might decide India’s fate in the series.
A lot will be riding on Virat Kohli’s shoulders when India take on Australia in the highly-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Kohli’s performances against Australian pacers will hold the key to India’s chances in the series. Here is a look at Kohli’s overall stats and numbers against Australian pacer Mitchell Starc. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
