Mitchell Starc was in exceptional form during the first innings of the second Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 Test at Adelaide on December 6. The left-arm pacer struck right from the start, dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal on the very first ball of the match, setting the tone for Australia.
Starc played a key role in bowling India out for just 180 runs in their first innings, recording his best-ever bowling figures in a Test innings against India. Utilizing the conditions and the pink ball to perfection, he tore through the Indian batting lineup without mercy.
Before this performance, Starc had never claimed a five-wicket haul against India in Tests, and with Australia trailing 0-1 after their defeat in Perth, there could have been no better moment for him to deliver his finest performance with the ball.
Here are Mitchell Starc’s three best bowling spells in Tests against India:
#1 3/40 at Adelaide 2018
The first Test of India’s 2018 tour of Australia took place in Adelaide. In the first innings, India scored 250 runs, with Mitchell Starc returning figures of 2/63 from 19 overs. Australia bowled India out for 307 in their second innings, setting a target of 323 runs for the visitors.
Australia fell short, getting bowled out for 291, and India won the match by 31 runs. However, Starc delivered a strong performance in the second innings, taking three wickets for just 40 runs from 21.5 overs at an economy rate of 1.83.
His wickets included Murali Vijay early in the innings, and Ravichandran Ashwin and Ishant Sharma later on.
#2 4/53 at Adelaide 2020
During India’s 2020/21 tour of Australia, the first Test of the series was played at Adelaide as a day-night match. India batted first and was dismissed for 244 runs in their first innings.
Mitchell Starc was the standout bowler for Australia, taking four wickets. He bowled 21 overs, conceding just 53 runs, maintaining a tight economy rate of 2.52. His figures of 4/53 were his best-ever performance against India in Tests at that time.
Starc took crucial wickets, dismissing Prithvi Shaw for a duck, along with Ajinkya Rahane and Wriddhiman Saha. He also claimed the wicket of Umesh Yadav to complete his four-wicket haul.
#3 6/48 at Adelaide 2024
Adelaide has been a highly successful venue for Mitchell Starc, especially against India. His previous best performance against them in Tests came at the same ground, and in the ongoing second Test, he achieved his best-ever bowling figures against India.
Starc struck right from the first ball, dismissing Jaiswal, and was in top form, consistently troubling the Indian batsmen. He claimed his first-ever five-wicket haul against India in Tests, finishing with remarkable figures of 6/48 as Australia bowled India out for just 180 runs.
In addition to Jaiswal, Starc took key wickets, including Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Nitish Reddy. He also dismissed Ravichandran Ashwin and Harshit Rana, capping off his best-ever bowling spell against India.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
