Watch: Mitchell Starc, Steve Smith label Virat Kohli as ‘Australian-like’ ahead of BGT 2024

Starc, Smith Kohli (Twitter)

The excitement for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is rising as the days pass by. Statements are being made and mind games are at their best to get an upper hand before the actual action takes place. Star Australia players Mitchell Starc and Steve Smith termed Virat Kohli as the player to watch out for and saw him as a player having the Australian mindset.

Australia are renowned for dominating the opposition both on and off the field. Under Kohli, India won a Test series in Australia in 2018/19. The aggressive leadership of the star Indian batter was lauded by many and the phase was labelled as a new era in Indian Test cricket. Starc highlighted the very aspect and stated that the veteran does not shy away from big contests.

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“I believe Virat Kohli is probably the most Australian-like in terms of his desire to perform in big games. The way he takes on the game, the way he thinks about the game. He loves getting into the contest, which I think a lot of Australian players do,” said Starc speaking to Star Sports.

“I believe Virat Kohli is Australian in both thought and action. The way he gets into a battle, the way he embraces 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 added.

Here’s the video of the conversation:

India will commence their Australian tour with the first game at Optus Stadium in Perth on November 22. The five-match Test series will undergo a gruelling contest for over one and a half months. It is worth noting that India are defending the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as they outclassed Australia at home by 2-1 in 2023.