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"Virat Loved To Nick It" Alyssa Healy Highlights Starc's Expertise At Exploiting Kohli's Flaw

Akshita Patel

Alyssa Healy on Starc-Kohli rivalry [Source: @Thekeycritic, @CricCrazyJohns/X.com]Alyssa Healy on Starc-Kohli rivalry [Source: @Thekeycritic, @CricCrazyJohns/X.com]

Virat Kohli has retired from Test cricket, and while fans are emotional, some bowlers might be breathing a little easier, especially the Australians. Alyssa Healy, Australia women's captain and wife of Mitchell Starc, recently said that her husband enjoyed bowling outside the off-stump to Kohli.

Kohli had many intense battles with Australia over the years, scoring over 2000 Test runs and 9 centuries against them. His fights with Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon became legendary in cricket history. 

However, his weaknesses were equally exposed down under. The 36-year-old would often nick a delivery way outside the off-stump line, getting caught in the slips. This is a flaw Starc apparently loved to exploit.

Alyssa Healy Opens Up On Starc-Kohli Rivalry

Virat Kohli and Mitchell Starc had a heated rivalry in Test cricket. The Aussie has dismissed the Indian batter 6 times, tied with England’s Moeen Ali and Ben Stokes. 

Moreover, Starc’s wife, Alyssa Healy, talking to the LiSTNR Sport podcast, revealed that her husband loved bowling to Kohli to exploit the latter’s weakness to outside off-stump deliveries. 

"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.

She admitted that while people talk about Kohli’s so-called weakness outside off, it was also a sign of his attacking mindset. Healy praised Kohli’s courage, saying that playing shots on the rise takes bravery.

"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," she added.

Was Kohli Forced To Retire From Test?

Virat Kohli’s sudden decision to retire from Test cricket on May 12, 2025, stunned fans and cricket experts alike. But the Delhi coach revealed that just weeks before the announcement, Kohli was actively planning for the upcoming tour of England. 

When asked about playing county cricket to get used to English conditions, Kohli reportedly said he would instead play two matches for India A and aimed to score “4-5 centuries” in the series, just like his outstanding 2018 tour. This clear intent to prepare seriously for the England series contradicts the idea that he was planning to retire.