Mitchell Starc has faced almost every big name in world cricket, but the Australian speedster has now revealed the one batter who has pushed him to the limit throughout his long career. And the name at the top is none other than the Indian batting superstar Virat Kohli.
The 35-year-old pacer is still one of the most threatening fast bowlers in the world. He continues to produce match-winning spells for Australia and recently delivered the best bowling performance of his career in the opening Test of the ongoing Ashes 2025-26.
Even with more than a decade of international cricket behind him, Starc’s hunger and pace have not faded. Over the years, he has bowled to world-class players like Rohit Sharma, Kane Williamson, Joe Root, and many other modern-day greats. But in his personal list, none of them came close to the challenge that Virat Kohli presented to him.
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Kohli and Starc have been part of some of the most intense battles on the 22 yards. They have gone head-to-head in India vs Australia clashes across the formats, where each ball felt like a story of its own. Their rivalry has been an enthralling one since their early days.
Mitchell Starc names Virat Kohli as the toughest batter of his career
At every phase, Kohli has managed to push Starc harder than anyone else. They have shared the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) dressing room in the IPL, and at that time, the Australian star got to know the Indian batting icon closely, making their relationship interesting.
Not just Kohli, Starc also shared the RCB dressing room with the South African legend AB de Villiers. He also played with and against Steve Smith. Despite getting the chance to face many world-class batters, Kohli still stands out in his mind. Even in peak form, the Australian fast bowler has admitted that Kohli has been the batter who pushed him the hardest.
Mitchell Starc said on Kookaburra Cricket: “Virat Kohli is the No. 1 batter I’ve played against. The way he dominates the game, it was amazing to have that relationship with him during RCB.” When he was asked to pick the best player he played with, Starc said, “Kohli, Steve Smith, and AB de Villiers.”
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Mitchell Starc vs Virat Kohli Stats
Meanwhile, Starc and Kohli have shared one of cricket’s most exciting rivalries. Their battles are all about skill, with bat and ball clashing in some of the sport’s most memorable moments. In tests, Kohli faced 477 deliveries and scored 278 runs at an average of 46.3, while Starc dismissed him six times.
In the ODI cricket, the Australian fast bowler has scored 162 runs at an impressive average of 81 against Starc. In T20Is, Kohli has been unbeaten against Starc, scoring 15 runs. Additionally, the right-handed batter has scored 91 runs without losing his wicket to Starc in nine T20s.
The Australian fast bowler scalped 36 wickets in 26 matches at an average of 20.38 and an economy rate of 7.17.
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