Leader of Australia’s pace attack, Mitchell Starc has confirmed that he will be entering the IPL 2024 auction with an eye on preparing for the T20 World Cup that year to be played in West Indies and USA.
Starc last played in IPL back in 2015 when he turned out for the Royal Challengers Bangalore franchise for two seasons including IPL 2014. He picked 34 wickets in 27 matches.
Back in 2018, he was acquired by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) before he withdrew due to injury, and on other occasions, he prioritized international cricket over IPL.
With a light workload for the Australian team next year, with the T20 World Cup scheduled between a tour of New Zealand in March and a white-ball series against Afghanistan, Ireland, and England from late August, Starc feels he can get valuable practice in IPL.
"Look it's been eight years. I'm definitely going back in [next] year. 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, and then lead into the T20 World Cup. And it is somewhat of a quiet winter next year…in comparison to this winter, so I think a perfect opportunity to put my name in,” Starc told the Willow Talk Cricket Podcast.
Starc revealed that he has stayed away from IPL to fulfill his goal of playing 100 Tests for Australia, a feat only Glenn McGrath has achieved as a fast bowler.
Currently, Starc has played 82 Tests and if he manages to play Australia's upcoming fixtures of the Future Tours Programme, his 100th match will be during the 2025-26 Ashes.
"Not just get to 100, I would like to be good enough to be picked for 100 Tests. And then the big one obviously in a couple of weeks is the World Cup, which in India just goes to another level. And then you look at the one-day format, it is sort of four years in between World Cups, so where do I see myself in that mix? But I have got to get to the end of this World Cup first,” he added.
"But we have got some superstars coming through. You have got your Jhye Richardsons, your Sean Abbotts, your Spencer Johnsons. You have 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 have got five Test matches here in Australia and then I haven't actually played a Test in New Zealand, so hopefully I am on that tour and look forward to that challenge as well," he concluded.
(ANI inputs)
