DC will open their IPL 2026 on April 1 against LSG in Lucknow.
Starc, who has retired from T20Is and missed the T20 World Cup in 2026, has yet to join the Delhi squad for their IPL 2026 season opener. The left-arm pacer competed in all five Ashes Tests against England, as well as the final stages of the Big Bash League.
Fellow Australian pacers Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins are also expected to miss a few initial matches for their respective franchises. However, Hazlewood has joined the RCB camp, and Cummins has begun bowling in the SRH camp.
However, Delhi still awaits the arrival of its premier pacer, Mitchell Starc. Earlier, Starc’s wife and ex-Australia women’s player Alyssa Healy had revealed that Starc is injured and unable to bowl, and hence has not come to India to join the Delhi Capitals camp.
And now Mitchell Starc himself has confirmed the news of his injury in a story on Instagram. He revealed that he is suffering from a shoulder and elbow injury and has been rehabbing it. He had some words for his critics, who were unhappy with him not joining the DC camp for IPL.
Furthermore, he stated that he remains in contact with the Delhi Capitals management and apologized to them and the DC fans for the delay in his arrival.
“Despite the opinions and views of certain individuals with their platforms in and through the Indian media, I'm currently rehabbing and managing an injury in my shoulder and elbow, of which I didn't know the extent during the Australian summer. These individuals have made some strong statements around involvement in the IPL and provided heavily misinformed opinions of players, presented them as facts, and claimed to know my body better than me.
With that said, I do acknowledge this injury setback, and timing is disruptive to the Delhi team, and I apologize for that and to the fans for not being available for the early part of this season. I remain committed to joining DC, am in continuous communication updating the team, and will continue to do what I can to be available for DC asap,” Starc posted on his Instagram story.
Mitchell Starc was one of the best bowlers for DC in IPL 2025, having joined after a successful stint with KKR. Starc took 14 wickets in 11 games for DC in IPL 2025, with a best of 5/35 and an economy of 10.16.