The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is all about high intensity battles, and when it comes to the same, one name reverberates through the ranks of Australian players: Virat Kohli.
The indomitable enigma that is Kohli has taken the stage during countless battles against the Aussies and pacer Mitchell Starc says that he relishes the same, as he waits to face the talisman Indian batter on the pitch again.
“I enjoy my battles with Virat Kohli, it’s because we’ve played a lot of cricket against one another,” Starc told Star Sports.
“I always have some good battles. I’ve managed to get him out once or twice and he’s no doubt scored a fair few runs against me so it’s always a good contest and one we both enjoy.”
Aussie speed demon, #MitchellStarc, reminisces the on-field battles he has had with the KING, @imVkohli Starc looks forward to the #ToughestRivalry in #BGTonStar, FRI 22 NOV onwards!
The drama is building – Hit ❤️ if you can’t wait for #BorderGavaskarTrophy to begin! pic.twitter.com/FKBejvGAA5
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) September 13, 2024
It isn’t just Starc whose eyes Kohli has caught. According to Steve Smith, who is one of the best Test batters of all time, Kohli’s mentality is a striking picture of the Australian way of playing: fearless and fiery.
“I believe Virat Kohli is Australian in thoughts and action. The way he gets into a battle, the way he gets into the challenge and tries to get on top of the opposition. He’s probably the most Australian of the Indian players, I’d say,” Smith said in a video posted by Star Sports on ‘X’, formerly Twitter.
Kohli, who made his Test debut for India in 2011, will be a key player for the Rohit Sharma-led side in the 2024-25 edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
India will travel to Australia later this year for a five-match Test series, which is set to start on November 22 in Perth. The next four matches are scheduled to take place in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.
Currently though, with the Bangladesh Test series looming around the corner, Kohli will be focused on nothing else but the same.
The talisman arrived in Chennai early yesterday morning as per reports and will surely be eager to get back in whites representing the national team after helping India lift their second T20 World Cup title, following which both Kohli and Rohit announced their retirement from the format.
The Indian team are already at the top of the WTC standings but would not be interested in putting their foot off the pedal anytime soon.
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