Mitchell Starc put on a show with the ball in Australia’s resounding 10-wicket victory over India in the second ODI at Visakhapatnam on Sunday (March 19).
The left-arm pacer ran through the Indian batting line-up, returning with a five-wicket haul to bundle out the hosts for a paltry 117 in 26 overs.
Starc wreaked havoc with the new ball, dismissing Shubman Gill (0), Rohit Sharma (13), Suryakumar Yadav (0) and KL Rahul (9) cheaply in powerplay overs. Mohammed Siraj (0) was his last victim as he finished with the figures of 5/53 in his 8 overs.
After the game, Mitchell Starc said the early inroads he made into the Indian batting line-up allowed his bowling partners to attack more aggressively.
"Look, it was a complete bowling performance from us, the fact that we took powerplay wickets allowed us to attack even more throughout the innings," said Starc, who claimed his ninth five-wicket haul in ODIs.
In reply, Australia rode on blazing knocks from Mitchell Marsh (66* off 36) and Travis Head (51* off 30) to overhaul the target in just 11 overs.
"With a lower total to chase, we could be aggressive in the powerplay and Mitch (Marsh) and Trav (Travis Head) came off really well with the bat," he added.
Starc had also troubled the Indian top-order in the opening ODI, picking three scalps in the visitors’ five-wicket defeat. Suryakumar Yadav was dismissed by the lanky quick for a second successive first-ball duck.
Asked if he had a plan for Surya, Starc said: "I cannot say if I have thought it that way (as to) who is the batter at the other end. For me, the plan does not change if it is a left-hander or a right-hander, I am still trying to bowl fast and swing it and hit the stumps."
Mitchell Starc said there were no specific plans against the Indian right-handers.
"My plan has not changed for 13 years, which is to bowl full at the stumps and try to swing it in. I think that has just been my role to try and take wickets upfront in the powerplay and that means that I tend to bowl fuller lengths than some other guys like Cameron Green or Pat (Cummins) or Josh (Hazlewood)," he said.
"At times that means I am more expensive but I am trying for a dismissal, so certainly (did) not (have) a new game plan in the last two games. It is something that I have done for a long time, be aggressive and take wickets and, today, our whole bowling attack did that, when we had six wickets in the powerplay.
"That is a big step forward in one-day cricket, when you have a powerhouse batting unit like India have. If you can take wickets in the powerplay that means you can control the game to some respect," Starc further remarked.
With the series now levelled at 1-1 with one game left to play, the two teams will now head to Chennai for the decider on Tuesday (March 22).
"A few of us have been here to get accustomed to conditions. With one eye on the World Cup in particular conditions and against India, that is one by-product of the series," Starc said.
"This is still (an ongoing) series against India, which we want to win. We move to Chennai for the decider which is exciting. Once we are past that game there will be more focus on the World Cup. (There are) parts of the series with the World Cup on your mind but predominantly for this group, there is a chance to win a one-day in India which is pretty special," he concluded.
(With PTI Inputs)
