Mitchell Starc led the foundation of Australia’s resounding 10-wicket victory over India in the second ODI in Visakhapatnam on Sunday (March 19).

The left-arm pacer ran through the Indian batting line-up, returning with a five-wicket haul (5/53) to bundle out the hosts for a paltry 117 in 26 overs.

Shubman Gill (0), Rohit Sharma (13), Suryakumar Yadav (0) and KL Rahul (9) were his victims as Starc wreaked havoc with the new ball. The lanky fast bowler also troubled the Indian top-order in the opening ODI, picking three scalps in the visitors’ five-wicket defeat.

Hence, the talks of Indian top order’s woes have once come again on the spotlight. In the past, left-arm quicks like Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Afridi and Trent Boult have demolished India in crucial games with ferocious spells.

Sharing his two cents on the matter, Pakistan pace legend Wasim Akram said that the angle from which the left-arm pacers deliver the ball makes it difficult for the batters and not only Virat Kohli, Rohit or Rahul.

"See, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul; all these guys are great players. Rahul won the last match for India. It's not just them who get trapped to the left-armer's angle; others fall too, especially when the ball comes in. And the pitch on which the match was played, I felt as if I was watching the game in Australia," Akram told Sports Tak.

"It rained as well, the ground was lush green too. I felt as if the match is being played in New Zealand. Credit to the organisers that the ground looked good. It was a small match; Australia played well. The series is shaping up nicely at 1-1. But I supposed that the ball was seaming on that wicket. Although Australia scored those runs quickly, I saw a couple of overs from Siraj, the ball was seaming both ways."

Wasim Akram also heaped praise on Starc, hailing him as one of the best fast bowlers in the world.

"I haven't followed Indian cricket regularly but like I said, they have some greats of the game and they know how to adjust themselves. There are days that belong to the bowlers as well; congratulations to Mitchell Starc for bowling so well, snuffing out three wickets at the top and then take two more wickets. There is no doubt that he is a great bowler, one of the best in the world. So it was his day," Akram remarked.

The series-deciding third ODI will be played at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Wednesday (March 22).