Starc will challenge Kohli throughout the series: Hussey

TIL Desk Sports/ It will take a “collective bowling effort” from Australia to counter the Virat Kohli phenomenon but former batsman Mike Hussey believes that Mitchell Starc with his abilities will pose some serious challenge for the Indian captain throughout the Test series. Kohli recently eclipsed Sir Don Bradman’s world record scoring four double hundreds in four successive Test series.

“I think Starc is a brilliant bowler for the sub-continental conditions. He bowls at a genuine pace, can swing the new ball and is an excellent exponent of reverse swing. I am sure he will challenge Kohli throughout the series. It will, however, take a collective effort to stop Kohli, who has been phenomenal of late,” Hussey told in an exclusive interview.

Asked about the kind of challenges that Steve Smith will face, Hussey said that despite Indians being champion players of spin bowling, the Australian captain need to be patient with spinners Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe. “He has experience of playing in India, which is important both in Tests and at the IPL. I feel he needs to show a lot of faith and patience with his spinners and get the field right, with a nice balance of attacking and defending,” observed Hussey, a veteran of 79 Test matches.