Mitchell Starc revealed that his withdrawal from the Champions Trophy was primarily due to an ankle injury, but “personal views” also influenced his decision. With Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood absent, Australia faces challenges with an inexperienced pace attack. Starc prioritized the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa and a West Indies tour. He highlighted the need to manage his fitness, aiming for his 100th Test cap in Jamaica. Starc also commented on the WTC format, acknowledging its flaws while expressing eagerness for the upcoming final. He has an IPL deal with Delhi Capitals starting March 21.
Starc’s absence, along with Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, means Australia is without their top three fast bowlers, resulting in a less experienced pace attack. However, a victory against Afghanistan on Friday could secure their spot in the semi-finals.
Upon the announcement of the squad, Cricket Australia indicated that Starc had stepped away for personal reasons, with the full backing of both the board and the team.
For the first time since the squad was revealed, Starc did not elaborate on his personal views but emphasized that the World Test Championship final against South Africa is his priority.
“There are several reasons, some personal views, and I had some ankle pain during the Test series [against Sri Lanka],” Starc stated during the Willow Talk podcast. “I want to get that sorted, especially with the Test final approaching and a tour of the West Indies right after.”
“There’s also IPL cricket to consider, but my primary focus is on the Test final, so I’ll work on getting my body right, play some cricket in the next few months, and be ready for the Test final.”
In Pakistan, where Starc toured in 2022, the Champions Trophy is being held under stringent security measures that restrict player movement. Teams facing India are also required to travel to Dubai, as India plays all its matches at the same venue under an agreed hybrid model to facilitate the tournament.
Starc has frequently gone above and beyond for Australia. He played through a side injury during the later part of the Test series against India and appeared to be limping in the second match in Galle earlier this month, taking on the role of the lone specialist fast bowler in both Tests.
If Starc participates in the WTC final and all three Tests in the West Indies, he will achieve his 100th cap in Jamaica in July. Additionally, he needs just 18 more wickets to reach the milestone of 400.
If all three are fit for the WTC final, selectors will face a challenging decision regarding the composition of the pace attack, especially with Scott Boland making a strong case for retention.
Regarding the WTC format itself, Starc admitted he was initially underwhelmed by it during the first cycle but noted that Australia’s missed opportunity due to a slow over-rate made it more significant, although he believes the model requires adjustments.
“During the first cycle, being a new concept, I remember having mixed feelings about its importance. I thought, what’s this all about? It doesn’t seem meaningful,” he reflected. “We aim to win every Test match and series. Then we got close and missed out, and watching it on TV made us want to be involved. That changed quickly.
“In the second cycle, we reached the final and played India on neutral ground, a momentous occasion for both teams, and we managed to win. Now, we find ourselves with another chance to win it for the second consecutive time.”
“I believe the format still requires some tweaking. It’s quite challenging to rectify since only six series contribute to the point system; you get the same points for home and away victories. It operates on a percentage-based model, which makes it imperfect. However, I anticipate a clash between two strong teams in the final.”
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo