Mitchell Starc liked bowling to Virat Kohli. He hung it outside off and Virat loved to nick it: Alyssa Healy 'biased'

Hindustan Times

15-05-2025

Now that Virat Kohli has retired from Tests, the Australians can breathe a bit easier. Sure, they had the better of him in the last Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but when a batter who has scored over 2000 runs and nine centuries against you steps down, you can't help but relax. Kohli has had countless battles with the Aussies. From a fiery 22-year-old defiantly gesturing at the Sydney crowd to smashing four centuries in a single series and guiding India to their historic first Test series victory in Australia, Kohli transformed into a cricketing legend, earning the admiration and respect of Australians and Indians alike.
As Kohli has forged his legacy in Australia, his battles with his Aussie counterparts have earned their own place in the history books. Kohli's rivalry with Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood has been nothing short of extraordinary, a chapter that has seen everyone emerge as winners through different periods of time. Former Australia women's captain Alyssa Healy, wife of Starc, insisted that her husband loved bowling to Kohli, given the India batter's tendency to get out, but that is just one aspect of their whole back-and-forth competition.
"Funnily enough, Mitch actually liked bowling to him because he was like just hang it outside off-stump and Virat loved to nick it. But that's why I loved that. Everyone's saying he had this technical flaw. Yes, because he wants to hit the ball, and that's what he's done throughout his career," Healy said while speaking on the LiSTNR Sport podcast.
"To be brave enough and drive those balls on the up is going to get you in trouble every now and then, but you've got to counter-attack as well. If you get it right, it puts it back on the bowler. But yeah, when he was unbelievably still at the crease, his head did not move. He looked so difficult to remove, and the flair he had both sides of the wicket is pretty cool."
Healy was then subjected to a quick impromptu quiz about Kohli and Australia by the host Adam Peacock, which went something like this.
Interviewer: Which Australia cricketer has dismissed Virat Kohli the most times in Test cricket?
Healy: I feel like it's Mitch[ell Starc]
Interviewer: And your bias would tell you that you're wrong
Healy: Umm, Are they still playing?
Interviewer: Yes
Healy: Josh Hazlewood
Interviewer: No
Healy: Ok, I give up
Interviewer: Nathan Lyon (7 dismissals). Next question. Out of Boland, Cummins, Hazlewood, Starc, who has dismissed Kohli the most?
Healy: I feel like it's Josh
Interviewer: I feel like you're out of wind. It's Mitch
Healy: Oh Mitch, I am a stinker.
For the record, Starc has dismissed Kohli six times in Tests, tied with England's Moeen Ali and Ben Stokes. Cummins, Hazlewood and Scott Boland have gotten the better of Kohli five times. South Africa's Kagiso Rabada and former England pacer Stuart Broad have picked up Kohli's wicket five times each. As has another ex-Aussie pacer, Peter Siddle. Lyon and James Anderson, of course, are right at the top with 7 dismissals each.