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[PICTURES/VIDEOS] The alarming decline of Mitchell Starc

He started terribly but in the knockouts, he might just find his forte back.
 
He started terribly but in the knockouts, he might just find his forte back.

Bowls a little too full. He is always like this. Bowls 1 good delivery then 3 or 4 average deliveries. Remember the world T20 final in 2021. Kane williamson destroyed him. He went for 60 runs 4 overs. Hazlewood went only for 16 runs in 4 overs. In between he bowls 5 wides frequently. Plus he bowls high full tosses too. Pretty erratic bowler.
 
Starc has not been in top form in this IPL. But as the world cup is coming, we might see him taking his from more seriously like we have seen in the last game. Australia would want starc to be in 100 percent serious form because he has been their main spearhead for a decade now or even more than that.
 
Bowls a little too full. He is always like this. Bowls 1 good delivery then 3 or 4 average deliveries. Remember the world T20 final in 2021. Kane williamson destroyed him. He went for 60 runs 4 overs. Hazlewood went only for 16 runs in 4 overs. In between he bowls 5 wides frequently. Plus he bowls high full tosses too. Pretty erratic bowler.

There are days when Hazelwood goes for plenty himself. I remember Bairstow destroyed Hazelwood in a IPL match as latter went for 64 runs in 4 overs. So, anyone can have such poor games.

There is no reason to not worry that Starc can desteoy opponents in a knockout game. However, even if he performs there, he won't justify the price tag anyways.
 
There are days when Hazelwood goes for plenty himself. I remember Bairstow destroyed Hazelwood in a IPL match as latter went for 64 runs in 4 overs. So, anyone can have such poor games.

There is no reason to not worry that Starc can desteoy opponents in a knockout game. However, even if he performs there, he won't justify the price tag anyways.

Starc was destroyed by Buttler too in that world T20. He went for 9 an over. Worst bowler i think. Bumrah ER was 5 in that world T20.
 
Starc was destroyed by Buttler too in that world T20. He went for 9 an over. Worst bowler i think. Bumrah ER was 5 in that world T20.
Another humble pie for you


Performed again when it mattered the most.
 
Presumably, there are other innings against Starc where Starc didn't get him out

1oYqVYA.png
 
Like Starc , some players raise their level in big matches, Mohd Amir also does the same.
 
Where is that guy that kept talking rubbish about Starc after he bent India and using the IPL to categorise his form, now he has won the damn thing with little effort. Off all the players to criticise in the world, imagine the state of mind you need to be in to pick Starc 🤣 goodness me, the tiny folk continue to amaze me
 
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Another humble pie for you

What humble pie dude. HE is a swing bowler. When he has swing and landing gets right he can be deadly somethign he couldn't do all season. Everyone was like "He is playing deliberately poorly" lol Those are the guys who should eat humble pies.
 
Like Starc , some players raise their level in big matches, Mohd Amir also does the same.
It is funny to see that you are putting them in the same sentence. Amir is not worthy of lacing his boots.

Starc has had a legendary all-format career. Amir is a nobody in comparison.
 

Starc fit and ready for T20 World Cup after heatwave-hit IPL​


Mitchell Starc dismissed fears the intense Indian heat might have drained him during his IPL-winning exploits, with the Australian declaring Monday he was fit and ready for the T20 World Cup.

The 34-year-old left-arm pace spearhead lived up to his record $2.98 million price tag with an opening burst of 2-14 to set up a third title triumph for the Kolkata Knight Riders against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday.

At the end of the two-month tournament, largely played in relentless heatwave conditions, player-of-the-match Starc helped dismiss Hyderabad for 113 as Kolkata cruised to their target with 9.3 overs to spare in Chennai.

"My body is fine," Starc, who took 17 wickets in 13 matches, told reporters in a post-midnight news conference at the end of extended Kolkata team celebrations.

"I've played enough cricket to manage that sort of thing. T20 is not as demanding as Test cricket. It's been warm, it's been humid, so that plays a part, but that's fine," he said.

The T20 World Cup begins in the United States and the West Indies on Saturday, , with Australia's first match against Oman on June 6.

"It will be cooler in the West Indies than it has been over here," said Starc, who was also player of the match against the same opponents Hyderabad in the 44 Celsius heat of Ahmedabad last week.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed this season, it's been great," he said.

"It leads into a World Cup, so that's the other side of the benefit of being here, against some amazing players in an amazing tournament.

"I look forward to being back next year."

Starc was less certain about playing in the next 50-over World Cup in 2027.

"Moving forward, I am certainly closer to the end of my career than start, so one format may drop off," Starc admitted.

"It is a long time before the one-day World Cup," he said, and was unsure "whether that format continues for me or not".

He also hinted that he might like to play more T20 leagues around the world.

Over the last nine years, Starc said he had "prioritised Australian cricket".

He was looking forward, after the World Cup, to taking "time off, give my body a break and spend some time away from cricket with my wife."

Starc has taken 668 wickets in all three international formats after representing Australia in 89 Tests, 121 one-day internationals and 60 Twenty20 internationals.

The veteran had a slow start in a tournament where bat often ruled ball before taking 3-28 against Lucknow Super Giants last month.

Bowlers came in for hefty punishment in this year's batting-friendly IPL.

Hyderabad posted record IPL totals of 277 and 287 as the impact substitute allowed teams an extra batsman.

Starc does not expect batsmen to dominate so much in the World Cup.

"I don't see 270 in the World Cup, just purely because you are one less batter without an impact player rule," said Starc.

"Time will tell. Batters have been brave in the powerplay, they're striking the ball well.

"The wickets may not be the same in the West Indies, they may turn.

"Hopefully, the bowlers come into play a bit more than they have been through the IPL, but I am sure it will be an exciting World Cup."

 

Starc fit and ready for T20 World Cup after heatwave-hit IPL​


Mitchell Starc dismissed fears the intense Indian heat might have drained him during his IPL-winning exploits, with the Australian declaring Monday he was fit and ready for the T20 World Cup.

The 34-year-old left-arm pace spearhead lived up to his record $2.98 million price tag with an opening burst of 2-14 to set up a third title triumph for the Kolkata Knight Riders against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday.

At the end of the two-month tournament, largely played in relentless heatwave conditions, player-of-the-match Starc helped dismiss Hyderabad for 113 as Kolkata cruised to their target with 9.3 overs to spare in Chennai.

"My body is fine," Starc, who took 17 wickets in 13 matches, told reporters in a post-midnight news conference at the end of extended Kolkata team celebrations.

"I've played enough cricket to manage that sort of thing. T20 is not as demanding as Test cricket. It's been warm, it's been humid, so that plays a part, but that's fine," he said.

The T20 World Cup begins in the United States and the West Indies on Saturday, , with Australia's first match against Oman on June 6.

"It will be cooler in the West Indies than it has been over here," said Starc, who was also player of the match against the same opponents Hyderabad in the 44 Celsius heat of Ahmedabad last week.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed this season, it's been great," he said.

"It leads into a World Cup, so that's the other side of the benefit of being here, against some amazing players in an amazing tournament.

"I look forward to being back next year."

Starc was less certain about playing in the next 50-over World Cup in 2027.

"Moving forward, I am certainly closer to the end of my career than start, so one format may drop off," Starc admitted.

"It is a long time before the one-day World Cup," he said, and was unsure "whether that format continues for me or not".

He also hinted that he might like to play more T20 leagues around the world.

Over the last nine years, Starc said he had "prioritised Australian cricket".

He was looking forward, after the World Cup, to taking "time off, give my body a break and spend some time away from cricket with my wife."

Starc has taken 668 wickets in all three international formats after representing Australia in 89 Tests, 121 one-day internationals and 60 Twenty20 internationals.

The veteran had a slow start in a tournament where bat often ruled ball before taking 3-28 against Lucknow Super Giants last month.

Bowlers came in for hefty punishment in this year's batting-friendly IPL.

Hyderabad posted record IPL totals of 277 and 287 as the impact substitute allowed teams an extra batsman.

Starc does not expect batsmen to dominate so much in the World Cup.

"I don't see 270 in the World Cup, just purely because you are one less batter without an impact player rule," said Starc.

"Time will tell. Batters have been brave in the powerplay, they're striking the ball well.

"The wickets may not be the same in the West Indies, they may turn.

"Hopefully, the bowlers come into play a bit more than they have been through the IPL, but I am sure it will be an exciting World Cup."

Mitchell Starc has hinted at retirement from one of the formats in international cricket here as he is less certain about playing in the next 50-over World Cup in 2027.
 
It is funny to see that you are putting them in the same sentence. Amir is not worthy of lacing his boots.

Starc has had a legendary all-format career. Amir is a nobody in comparison.
You take things too personal against some players, since Amir emerged , your country hasn't won any ICC trophy without Amir's significant role it.
 
What a champion bowler. His success in knockouts, finals speaks volumes about his champion mindset. He was made fun in the beginning for his price but turned on MOTM performances in finals and Q1. Some super star players fly off the handle with tiny hit of criticism and booing.
 
Starc proved that greats don't decline in any phase of their career. The way he performed in the IPL knockouts was truly remarkable.
 
Mitchell Starc has hinted at retirement from one of the formats in international cricket here as he is less certain about playing in the next 50-over World Cup in 2027.
I am sure there will be a bunch of elated KKR fans if this happens. He was wonderful this season. Worth all the millions his contract is for.
 
The way Starc performed in the knockout games in IPL, we should say this " THE ALARMING RISE OF STARC".
 
Australia's left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc during an appearance on a podcast:

"No – two World Cups in a row. Just the match-up, they saw previous games on that ground in St Vincent with spin playing a part and obviously Ash and the left-armer enticing them to make a change I think Ash bowled pretty well in the powerplay."

"They probably played the spin quite well and batting first probably assessed the conditions a little bit better than we did, and had a couple of stumbles that in the end cost us the game. It was probably the fielding that cost us again that game. That meant we had to win against India and we fell short there as well."

"We finished ahead of England and end up where we were pre-seeded as the second side. All of a sudden, you're in a different group. The argument was it was because it was so hard to get around the West Indies, so fans knew where your team was playing. So then why don't you have the chock-a-block tournament at the front and then spread it out at the back end?"

"We had the two night games and the third was a day game, so it wasn't the best preparation. We had a delayed flight out of St Vincent, it was a 90-minute drive from the airport to the hotel in St Lucia, and then we had a 10 o'clock toss."

"I think that was probably maybe a misread (by organisers), the fact that the front half of the tournament was more spread out, and then you hit the super eights and travel around the West Indies is probably not the easiest thing to do, certainly not to travel home from."
 
In an interview Mitchell Starc said that his body will not be able to sustain pressure for a long time, and he has no intention of extending his career like James Anderson:

“I am lucky to be a part of three formats for a long time but I am not sure that how long it will continue. The scheduling is getting tight and tight. I need time to get my body ready for the matches,”

“Test cricket is the number one format for me. I am not like James Anderson, who was a part of international setup until he was 40 and had skills to swing it both ways. There are batter bowlers in the country who can do this task. I am looking forward to the summer and I haven’t set any expiry date.”
 
Starc in Overs 1-10 in ODIs at MCG

Overs: 37
Wickets: 9
Avg: 18.2
SR: 24.7
ER: 4.43
Dots: 172 (77.5%)
 
Mitchell Starc has surpassed Brett Lee's record, becoming the fastest bowler to reach 100 ODI wickets in Australia, achieving this milestone in just 54 innings. Lee previously held the record with 55 innings, while Glenn McGrath now ranks third with 56 innings.

jEgEicE.png
 
I think Starc has strong claim to be Australia’s best fast bowler after McGrath, Lillee and Cummins due to his all round prowess which can’t be ignored in the modern era.
 
Mitchell Starc in Pink-Ball Tests at Adelaide

7 - Mat
13 - Inns
39 - Wkts
16.64 - Avg
2.80 - Econ
35.5 - SR
2 - 5W
6/66 - BBI
 
Boy chose a big occasion to show what he has got... 3 wickets so far against India in the 2nd test.

Yashasvi Jaiswal: 0
KL Rahul: 37
Virat Kohli: 7
 
Former Australian opening batter Matthew Hayden referred to the left-arm pacer as a 'magician with the pink ball' during a program by the broadcasters of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25:

"He [Mitchell Starc] has that scrambled seam delivery that goes across the right-hander, but when he does have that ability-which he did-I must admit I was a little surprised. I've never really seen the pink ball swing into the sort of 40th over and so aggressively swing as well. By that stage, he used a really important word, and it's a bit of an underrated word as well, and that's momentum."

It was all in favour of India. A difficult position to come back from in life and sport is those opportunities to wrestle back momentum, and Mitchell Starc did that in only the way he can-when the lights are like the way they are and with that beautiful-coloured ball in his hand. He's just a magician with the Pink Ball."
 
Ponting attributes Starc’s fiery spell to Jaiswal exchange

The Australian great thinks Mitchell Starc may have had some extra motivation for his superb spell against India in Adelaide.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes a cheeky remark from India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal may have ignited a career-best performance from Mitchell Starc during the second Test in Adelaide.

Jaiswal contributed a stellar knock of 161 in the second innings of the series opener in Perth, but may have drawn the ire of Australia’s premier fast bowler at the time when he remarked that Starc was "bowling too slow" during his innings.

The comment brought a wry smile to the face of Starc at the time, but it was the left-arm quick that had the last laugh when he dismissed the India opener for a duck with a peach on the very first delivery of the match in Adelaide.

Ponting discussed Starc’s form with host Sanjana Ganesan on the most recent episode of The ICC Review and the Australian great suggested the veteran quick may have received some extra motivation from Jaiswal’s cheeky comment.

“He's actually a pretty level-headed guy, Mitchell Starc. He doesn't get flustered too much, even you see when he's bowling now,” Ponting said.

“And if one of the batters does happen to say something, he generally responds with a little smile on his face.

“But I think that smile on his face might be just a bit of a cover for the fire that's burning inside. Look, he bowled beautifully in Adelaide didn’t he.”

Ponting also commended the rest of Australia's line-up, including Pat Cummins and Travis Head, for their key contributions in the team's dominant 10-wicket victory, which leveled the series at 1-1.

“I said in the lead-up that Australia's senior players had to really stand up and change what had happened in Perth,” Ponting noted.

“When they lost the toss, and Australia were bowling, it was up to Cummins and Starc to set the tone from the very start of that game.

“Starc takes a wicket first ball, happens to beat Jaiswal that had made 160 in the last innings he played against Australia. And that really set the tone for the whole Test match. I thought Starc was outstanding. Career-best figures 6/48 in the first innings and then the captain (Cummins) comes into his own in the second innings and leads the way with the ball in the second innings. So lots of really good signs.

“That’s the sort of bounce-back that you would expect from the Australian team. Their senior players standing up and Travis doing what he did. That's what they needed to do. So they got the job done and now they've got to do it again next week in Brisbane.”

At 34 years of age, Starc stands as one of the most decorated pacers in modern cricket.

With an impressive 692 wickets across all formats, he has won nearly every major title with Australia, including two ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup trophies (2015 and 2023), the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2021 and the ICC World Test Championship in 2023.

Despite a successful career, Starc is sometimes not as prominently mentioned among the greatest bowlers of recent times.

Ponting, however, was full of praise for Starc, emphasising how he has adapted his bowling style to ensure longevity across all formats of the game.

“He certainly deserves high praise. I mean, he's probably in the last couple of years been better than he's ever been,” Ponting noted.

“And the reason that I say that is I think he's a more consistent bowler now than he's ever been before, yet his pace is still about the same as it always was. I mean, he could bowl over 150km/h probably a few years ago and he's in absolute prime now. He's sort of operating in the mid-140s, but his consistency, the way he's starting spells is really good now as well.

“I was really impressed by how he started his first spell in Perth and then the way he started his first spell in Adelaide was obviously unbelievably good. So his pink-ball record speaks for itself and I think talking to some of the players as well, I think the reason why his pink ball record is so good is I think the pink ball actually performs very similar to the white ball.

“And we know what sort of record that Mitchell Starc has got with a white-ball. That might be a part of the reason why.”

“He's not slowing down. That's just not pace that he's bowling. That's the way that he's bowling. So looking at him, (Josh) Hazelwood and Cummins, they could be around for another couple of years together yet.”

With the series tied at 1-1, the action now moves to the Gabba for the third Test, as both teams vie for a spot in the World Test Championship Final.

ICC
 
Ponting attributes Starc’s fiery spell to Jaiswal exchange

The Australian great thinks Mitchell Starc may have had some extra motivation for his superb spell against India in Adelaide.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes a cheeky remark from India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal may have ignited a career-best performance from Mitchell Starc during the second Test in Adelaide.

Jaiswal contributed a stellar knock of 161 in the second innings of the series opener in Perth, but may have drawn the ire of Australia’s premier fast bowler at the time when he remarked that Starc was "bowling too slow" during his innings.

The comment brought a wry smile to the face of Starc at the time, but it was the left-arm quick that had the last laugh when he dismissed the India opener for a duck with a peach on the very first delivery of the match in Adelaide.

Ponting discussed Starc’s form with host Sanjana Ganesan on the most recent episode of The ICC Review and the Australian great suggested the veteran quick may have received some extra motivation from Jaiswal’s cheeky comment.

“He's actually a pretty level-headed guy, Mitchell Starc. He doesn't get flustered too much, even you see when he's bowling now,” Ponting said.

“And if one of the batters does happen to say something, he generally responds with a little smile on his face.

“But I think that smile on his face might be just a bit of a cover for the fire that's burning inside. Look, he bowled beautifully in Adelaide didn’t he.”

Ponting also commended the rest of Australia's line-up, including Pat Cummins and Travis Head, for their key contributions in the team's dominant 10-wicket victory, which leveled the series at 1-1.

“I said in the lead-up that Australia's senior players had to really stand up and change what had happened in Perth,” Ponting noted.

“When they lost the toss, and Australia were bowling, it was up to Cummins and Starc to set the tone from the very start of that game.

“Starc takes a wicket first ball, happens to beat Jaiswal that had made 160 in the last innings he played against Australia. And that really set the tone for the whole Test match. I thought Starc was outstanding. Career-best figures 6/48 in the first innings and then the captain (Cummins) comes into his own in the second innings and leads the way with the ball in the second innings. So lots of really good signs.

“That’s the sort of bounce-back that you would expect from the Australian team. Their senior players standing up and Travis doing what he did. That's what they needed to do. So they got the job done and now they've got to do it again next week in Brisbane.”

At 34 years of age, Starc stands as one of the most decorated pacers in modern cricket.

With an impressive 692 wickets across all formats, he has won nearly every major title with Australia, including two ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup trophies (2015 and 2023), the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2021 and the ICC World Test Championship in 2023.

Despite a successful career, Starc is sometimes not as prominently mentioned among the greatest bowlers of recent times.

Ponting, however, was full of praise for Starc, emphasising how he has adapted his bowling style to ensure longevity across all formats of the game.

“He certainly deserves high praise. I mean, he's probably in the last couple of years been better than he's ever been,” Ponting noted.

“And the reason that I say that is I think he's a more consistent bowler now than he's ever been before, yet his pace is still about the same as it always was. I mean, he could bowl over 150km/h probably a few years ago and he's in absolute prime now. He's sort of operating in the mid-140s, but his consistency, the way he's starting spells is really good now as well.

“I was really impressed by how he started his first spell in Perth and then the way he started his first spell in Adelaide was obviously unbelievably good. So his pink-ball record speaks for itself and I think talking to some of the players as well, I think the reason why his pink ball record is so good is I think the pink ball actually performs very similar to the white ball.

“And we know what sort of record that Mitchell Starc has got with a white-ball. That might be a part of the reason why.”

“He's not slowing down. That's just not pace that he's bowling. That's the way that he's bowling. So looking at him, (Josh) Hazelwood and Cummins, they could be around for another couple of years together yet.”

With the series tied at 1-1, the action now moves to the Gabba for the third Test, as both teams vie for a spot in the World Test Championship Final.

ICC
Jaiswal's attempted sledge at Starc defied all logic. There was absolutely zero sense in that.

What was he trying to achieve? There is no way you will put Starc off his game. The only impact that sledge could have is either put Jaiswal, himself, under pressure or motivate Starc to bowl better - the latter is exactly what happened.

Young Indian players need to understand that you need sledging to work in your favor. You don't need to just get in the face of the opponent just because this is a "new gen India" and you want to show to the world that you don't take BS from anyone.
 
Cheteshwar Pujara has heaped huge praise on Australian pacer Mitchell Starc while speaking to a local sports media outlet:

“He [Mitchell Starc] has been the best bowler for them in this series. And the way Mitchell Starc has played in the last 1-1.5 years, he has brought a lot of improvement. And he has a lot of ability. If I talk about my personal experience, when he used to play in the last series in 2018 or 2021, I used to feel that if he plays against me, I will get runs. And now, when he is playing in this series, it feels like he will take wickets."

"So what is the difference? The difference is that his line length, his accuracy has increased a lot. He is bowling very less loose deliveries. He is playing on the stump. Every ball is hitting on the good length spot. He is getting swing. So the change he has brought in his game has made him a different player. And he is looking more dangerous than Cummins and Hazlewood. So we will have to take care of his game, especially from the new games. In the first five overs, his first spell, he has taken the most wickets there."
 
Austrian fast bowler Scott Boland shared an update on Mitchell Starc during the post-Day 3 press conference of the 4th Test between Australia and India:

“He’s okay. He just had a bit of a niggle somewhere in his back or rib, I don’t know, somewhere back there, but he came out after the break and was bowling 140km/h, so I think he’s going to be fine."

“I think he is underrated for how tough he is. A couple of years ago here at the MCG, he had a broken finger and we’re pretty much planning for him not to bowl at all and then he came out and bowled 140km/h swingers."

“He’s someone who can play through a lot of pain, and you can probably tell (that because) he’s played close to 90 Test matches now. And as a fast bowler, there’s not many games where you do play without any niggle at all. He’s someone who can still bowl at the same pace even when he is really sore, which is a great trait to have.”
 
One of the finest white-ball bowlers of all time and the leading wicket-taker across all World Cups (across formats).

Happy Birthday Mitchell Starc!
 
On his 35th birthday, Australian left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc became the fourth Australian to pick 700 international wickets across formats with his scalp of Sri Lankan opener Dimuth Karunaratne in the first Test of 2025 between the two countries at the Galle International Stadium on Thursday. He has joined the elite list which so far only had Shane Warne (1001 wickets), Glenn McGrath (949) and Brett Lee (718).
 
He bowled the best he has bowled in a few years in tests during the home tests vs India. His bowling average doesn't do justice as to how good he bowled in the series.
 
Starc has declined but he is still better than many trundlers playing for Pakistan currently.
 
Starc has also pulled out of the Champions Trophy 2025 due to personal reasons... Saving himself for the IPL???
 
Australia’s star pacer reveals the real reason for missing the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 while talking on a podcast:

“My main concern was fitness after experiencing ankle pain during the (Sri Lanka) Test series.”

“I just need to get that one right. Obviously, we have the (World Test Championship) final coming up and a West Indies tour after that.”

“There are a few different reasons, including some personal views.”

“The main one at the top of my mind is the Test final. Get my body right, play some cricket in the next couple of months, and then be ready to go for the Test final.”
 
He is still going strong as picked a fifer against the SRH in IPL today.

oaD0y6O.jpeg
 
Most 50-plus scores from No.9 or below in the Tests:
8 - Mitchell Starc (8th one today against South Africa in the WTC final)
6 - Stuart Broad
6 - Daniel Vettori
5 - Michael Holding

What a game Starc is having... playing a match winning knock actually..
 
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