Mitchell Starc v Mitchell Johnson: The ultimate question facing Australia’s fast-bowling cricket fans
They’re two of Australia’s most brutal fast bowlers – but if you had only one to bowl for your life, would you choose the wild man Mitchell Johnson? Or the deceptively devastating Mitchell Starc?
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As Mitchell Starc was knocking the top order off India’s first innings at the Gabba, someone raised a provocative question.
If you had to pick a left-armed Mitchell to bowl for your life in a Test for Australia who would it be – Starc or Johnson?
In a way it’s a trick question because it depends what version of what Mitchell you are voting for.
If it’s the 2013-14 model Mitchell Johnson who ransacked England with 37 wickets at 14, leaving a string of batsmen terrified, then you have nailed the best bowling from either man given it was considered among the most hostile efforts ever from an Australian quick.
But if it’s a career-wide comparison then Starc probably gets the nod.
He has played more Tests (92 to 73), his strike rate (48 to 51) and number of wickets (371 to 313) is superior with both having averages that floated around the 27-28 region.
The duo had similarities in that the gap between their best and worst days was often too wide for their peace of mind.
But, at their best, they had a rawness and wildness that unnerved opponents. And both averaged better than 20 with the bat.
Starc has been deceptively good for a long time.
The deck which seemed friendly enough in the morning session when Australia were batting, sprang to life when Starc got the ball and whipped out Yashasvi Jaiswal caught at square leg by Mitch Marsh and Shubman Gill spectacularly snared by the same fieldsman at gully.
Neither wicket came from a memorable ball but that’s Mitchell Starc for you – he lured batsmen into aggressive strokes that triggered their downfall.
His second wicket took him to just two wickets shy of the great Pakistani quick Waqar Younis and while Starc has played five more Tests, this is stellar company.
A decade after being branded soft by Shane Warne on the same ground against the same opponent, Starc showed why he is the bowler who can steal this series for Australia.
It cannot be disputed that Indian maestro Jasprit Bumrah has been the bowler of the series but Starc is leaving his mark.
India, so buoyant after their shock first Test win, now have some major batting concerns.
It has not been lost on Australia that boom youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal, so impressive with his century in Perth, has a sorrowful record against left-arm pace so Starc could be a major obstacle.
And Virat Kohli, everyone’s hero after his drought-busting ton in Perth, has made 5, 7, 11 and 3 in the series either side of that knock.
Like so many former greats, he looks very much like the senior player who will occasionally strike gold when all the juices flow and the planets align but the consistency between times is just not there.
Kohli still has the million dollar swagger and his body language radiates pure intent. But deep down he has to be doubting himself.
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Originally published as Mitchell Starc v Mitchell Johnson: The ultimate question facing Australia’s fast-bowling cricket fans
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