"The moment it comes to the final, Mitchell Starc becomes a different beast" - Aakash Chopra lauds seamer's all-round performance in 2025 WTC final

Former India player Aakash Chopra has lauded Mitchell Starc for his all-round performance on Day 3 of the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) final. He noted that the Australian seamer raises his game in summit clashes.

Starc scored an unbeaten 58 off 136 deliveries to help Australia reach 207 in their second innings on Day 3 of the WTC final at Lord's on Friday, June 13. He then registered figures of 2/53 in nine overs as South Africa ended the day at 213/2 in pursuit of a 282-run target.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener praised Starc for demonstrating once again that he is a big-match player.

"A word for Mitchell Starc, he scored a fifty. It was his 11th fifty. Just think about it, they were 73/7. If he hadn't scored runs, this match would have been over by now. The mace would have already been with South Africa. However, he scored runs. After that, he picked up two wickets as well," Chopra said (4:30).

"The moment it comes to the final, Mitchell Starc becomes a different beast, and that is why he will go down as one of the greatest. The guy has the might. He suddenly raises his game and takes it to the next level in big matches. This just tells you that Mitchell Starc is a very, very special player," he added.

Mitchell Starc added 59 runs for the last wicket with Josh Hazlewood (17 off 53) after Australia had lost Nathan Lyon's (2 off 13) wicket early on Day 3. He then dismissed Ryan Rickelton (6 off 8) and Wiaan Mulder (27 off 50) to reduce South Africa to 70/2 in their second innings.

However, Aiden Markram (102* off 159) and Temba Bavuma (65* off 121) stitched together an unbroken 143-run third-wicket partnership to give the Proteas the upper hand.

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"Australia were tested" - Aakash Chopra on Aussies' bowling on Day 3 of 2025 WTC final

Mitchell Starc was the only Australian bowler among the wickets on Day 3 of the WTC final. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that both sides' bowling attacks, especially Australia's, found it difficult to pick up wickets on Day 3 of the WTC final.

"In bowling, some issues were seen with both sides. 14 wickets fell on each of the first two days, but only four wickets fell on the third day. Australia were tested. The pitch has gotten slow, and that much reverse swing is not available," he said.

While observing that Nathan Lyon didn't live up to expectations, the cricketer-turned-commentator praised Temba Bavuma and Aiden Markram for countering the threatening deliveries.

"Maybe the saliva ban might become a point of discussion at some stage in the upcoming WTC cycle because when the pitch became slow, no might remained in the bowling. There were more expectations from Nathan Lyon. Some balls spun from the rough for sure, but Temba Bavuma and Aiden Markram negated them well," Chopra observed.

Nathan Lyon went wicketless and conceded 51 runs in 18 overs on Day 3 of the WTC final. Mitchell Starc would have picked up a third wicket, but Temba Bavuma was dropped by Steve Smith at first slip on two, a lapse which could potentially cost Australia the title.