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'As A Lefty...': Steve Smith Fires Shots On Kohli-Starc Fight Ahead Of RCB vs KKR Match

Throwback to when Kohli & Starc played for RCB Throwback to when Kohli & Starc played for RCB 

In anticipation of the electrifying clash between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday, Steve Smith has eagerly weighed in on the anticipated showdown between Virat Kohli and Mitchell Starc.

With a discerning eye on the game's dynamics, Smith highlighted Kohli's vulnerability against left-arm seamers and emphasized Starc's potential to exploit this weakness.

"I quite like (Starc's) match-up to Virat, the ability to swing the ball back down the line as a lefty. We have seen him (Kohli) get out on a few occasions to Shaheen Afridi, Trent Boult, Mohammad Amir. In the first game against Punjab Kings, Kohli had an opportunity off Sam Curran dropped at slip. So I quite like the left-handed match-up," Smith told ESPNcricinfo.

Delving deeper into the tactical aspect, Smith envisioned Starc's strategy against Kohli, envisioning early swing deliveries followed by wobble seams aimed at inducing an edge.

"Starcy's going to swing the ball back down the line early on, I'd imagine, and then use the wobble seam to go across him (Kohli), and potentially try and nick him off. It's going to be a good game, and I'm aware Virat would know how Starc's trying to attack him as well - whether he tries to potentially come down the track (to) just take the swing out of play (we'll see). It's going to be interesting to see how he counters it."

Smith further emphasized the continuous learning process for players, expressing confidence that Kohli would have analyzed past encounters and strategized accordingly. 

"You obviously learn as you go along, and you understand what players are trying to do to try and get you out. I'm sure he (Kohli) would have seen that (data), and tried to improve on that throughout. So it's going to be a nice match-up," Smith concluded optimistically.

With Bangalore's desire to overturn their home record against Kolkata since 2016, anticipation for the clash escalates amidst the intriguing battles that might unfold.