Mitchell Starc, who has been in a self-imposed exile from the IPL since 2015, is set to return to the competition in 2024. The pacer has set his sights on making a comeback to the IPL, and is expected to be a hot property in the auction.
Despite being regarded as one of the best white-ball bowlers of his generation, having topped the wicket charts in the last two editions of the ODI World Cup, Mitchell Starc has chosen to stay away from the IPL over the years. The left-arm pacer has only played in the 2014 and 2015 editions of the tournament, but is now set to enter the auction in order to play next year.
Over the years, Mitchell Starc has opted out of the IPL to spend time with his family and stay fresh for the busy international schedule. He did enter the auction in 2018 and was picked up by Kolkata Knight Riders, but he withdrew due to an injury. He also skipped the 2019 edition as the ODI World Cup was scheduled to begin in May. This year, Starc once again chose to stay away from the IPL due to the World Test Championship Final and the Ashes.
The 33-year-old is targeting the IPL to prepare for the T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in the Caribbean and USA next year in June. “I’m definitely going back in (next) year,” Starc told the Willow Talk cricket podcast. “Amongst other things, it’s a great lead up to the T20 World Cup. So a good opportunity to see if anyone’s interested in the IPL, then lead into the T20 World Cup. And it’s somewhat of a quiet winter next year … in comparison to this winter, so I think a perfect opportunity to put my name in.”
Starc has said that he wants to play 100 Test matches for Australia, but he is unsure about his future in ODI cricket after the World Cup. “It took me a long time to feel like I was good enough Test cricket,” he said. “So I want to really give that the biggest crack I’ve got. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed white-ball cricket and that’s probably where I got my main opportunities in as well. I’d like to be good enough to get to 100 Tests. Not just get to 100, I’d like to be good enough to be picked for 100 Tests.
“And then you look at the one-day format, it’s sort of four years in between World Cups, so where do I see myself in that mix? But I’ve got to get to the end of this World Cup first. But we’ve got some superstars coming through. You’ve got your Jhye Richardsons, your Sean Abbotts, your Spencer Johnsons. You’ve got plenty of young guys coming through. (Lance) Morris is going to be a gun. I try not to look too far ahead with anything. Obviously, we want to do well in the World Cup. Then we’ve got five Test matches here in Australia and then I haven’t actually played a Test in New Zealand, so hopefully I’m on that tour and look forward to that challenge as well.”
