When cricket enthusiasts discuss excellent contemporary rivalries, Virat Kohli vs Mitchell Starc in Tests should come in for a special mention. Kohli, arguably the best batsman in Tests during his time, has struggled with Starc’s left-arm speed for over ten years.
Their head-to-head record speaks volumes about a battle constructed not on one-sided dominance, but on control against resistance.
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Overall Numbers: A Balanced Equation
Virat Kohli has faced 477 balls from Mitchell Starc in Tests, having scored 278 runs. He has got out six times, averaging about 46 with a strike rate of about 58.
These statistics reflect a good balance. Starc was unable to get Kohli out cheaply each time, but kept him from scoring all the time. Kohli survived, but never thrived.
Early Years vs Later Years: A Clear Shift
From 2012 until 2018, Kohli was dismissed by Starc only two times. But from 2019, the tale changed with four dismissals after 2018. This strongly indicates how Starc matured in the rivalry, employing experience and determination to frustrate Kohli increasingly in subsequent years.
Year 2013: Maximum Pressure, No Wicket
One of the greatest periods happened in 2013. Kohli survived 77 balls by Starc in that year, and an astonishing 77.38% were dot balls. He only scored 19 runs, but Starc couldn’t get him out even once.
It is exactly what describes their feud: Kohli wouldn’t surrender his wicket, but Starc succeeded in gaining the battle of pressure through choking runs.
Scoring Pattern: Pressure Over Power
- Across his career against Starc in Tests, Kohli’s scoring breakdown is telling:
56% dot balls
- 24% runs from boundaries
- 20% from singles and rotation
Kohli has managed to hit only one six against Starc in their entire Test rivalry. That number alone underlines the point that Starc didn’t allow easy aggression.
Strike Rate Trends: Forced Into Caution
Kohli’s strike rate has fluctuated wildly against Starc, sometimes above 80, sometimes reduced to the 30–40 range. The career average strike rate of 58 shows that Starc dictated the tempo, forcing Kohli to defend and wait rather than rotate strike freely.
Series Runs: No Big Peaks
Another telling fact is that Kohli never recorded a humongous run count against Starc in one series. His best was in 2018 when he registered 55 runs off Starc in a series. Otherwise, Starc regularly kept his tallies under wraps, robbing him of big domination.
A Rivalry of Margins
So, who emerged victorious? The statistics indicate it was a contest of peers:
- Starc’s control: Dot-ball pressure, restricted strike rate, late-career dismissals.
- Kohli’s resistance: Average of 46, very few easy wickets, ability to grind.
Starc, being in essence, was able to control, whereas Kohli survived by any means. It was not a competition of flashy domination; it was a contest of pressure, patience, and persistence.
Final Thoughts
The Virat Kohli vs Mitchell Starc Tests rivalry encapsulates what makes Test cricket so unique. It is not simply about centuries and five-wicket hauls, but about the miniature war within the game, dot balls, survival, and piling pressure.
To cricket lovers, this encounter is a lesson: sometimes the most dramatic struggle is that which neither party dominates the other, yet both push each other as far as they can take them in terms of playing ability, and also their characters.
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