Mitchell Starc’s Ankle Injury and Personal Views Lead to Champions Trophy Absence
Mitchell Starc has finally provided insight into his decision to skip the Champions Trophy, revealing that both an ankle injury and personal views played significant roles. Joining teammates Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood in missing the event, Starc’s absence has left Australia with an inexperienced pace attack. Despite this, a win against Afghanistan on Friday will secure Australia’s place in the semi-finals. When the squad was announced, Cricket Australia cited personal reasons for Starc’s withdrawal, which was fully supported by the board and the team.
Balancing Injury and Future Commitments
Speaking on the Willow Talk podcast, Starc elaborated on his decision for the first time. "There’s a few different reasons, some personal views, and had a bit of ankle pain through the Test series [against Sri Lanka]," he explained. The upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa is a top priority for the star bowler. "Obviously we’ve got the Test final coming up and a West Indies tour after that. There’s some IPL cricket as well, but my main one top of my mind is that Test final." Starc aims to get his body right, play some cricket in the next couple of months, and be ready for the Test final.
Security Measures and Player Constraints
Starc’s decision to skip the Champions Trophy is also influenced by the strict security measures in place in Pakistan, where the tournament is being held. These measures significantly limit the movement of players. Additionally, teams that face India must travel to Dubai, as India is playing all their matches at the same venue under a hybrid model designed to ensure the tournament’s smooth running. Starc’s reluctance to participate is understandable given these constraints and his history of putting his body on the line for Australia.
A History of Perseverance
Starc has a track record of playing through pain for his country. He fought through a side issue during the latter stages of the Test series against India and was clearly limping during the second Test in Galle earlier this month. Despite his discomfort, he played both Tests as the lone specialist fast bowler. If Starc plays the WTC final and all three Tests in West Indies, he will achieve his 100th cap in Jamaica during July. He is also just 18 wickets away from reaching 400 in his Test career, a significant milestone.
IPL Commitments and Team Dynamics
Starc has a deal with Delhi Capitals for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL), which begins on March 21. Pat Cummins has returned to bowling and is on track to be available for the IPL, while ESPNcricinfo reports that Josh Hazlewood is also progressing towards a return for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. If all three are available for the WTC final, the selectors will face a challenging decision on the composition of the pace attack. Scott Boland has made a strong case for retention, adding another layer of complexity to the selection process.
The Future of the WTC
Reflecting on the World Test Championship concept, Starc admitted that he was initially underwhelmed by it during the first cycle. "The first one being a new concept, I remember definitely, I was like, what’s this all about? It doesn’t mean much," he said. However, when Australia missed out due to a slow over-rate, the significance of the WTC quickly increased. "We’re trying to win every Test match, every Test series. And then we got close to it and we missed out and watching it on the TV, we all wanted to be a part of it." Starc believes that the format needs tweaking. "It’s a very hard one to fix, I guess, when you only play six series that contribute to the point system. You get the same points for home and away wins, it’s a percentage-based model. So it’s an imperfect system. But I think two really good teams will be facing off in the final."
