Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had a lot of confidence when they splurged INR 24.75 Cr on acquiring the services of ace Australia pacer Mitchell Starc for the IPL 2024. This bid made him the most expensive player ever bought in any IPL auction.
However, Starc has not been able to perform as per expectations in this ongoing IPL 2024. He has 5 wickets to his name in 6 games with a best of 3/28. He averages 46.40 and has an economy of 10.54.
In the recent match between KKR and RR, Starc gave away 50 runs in his 4 overs as RR chased down a record target of 224 runs with 2 wickets to spare, thanks to a brilliant unbeaten ton by Jos Buttler.
After his latest poor outing, former West Indian pacer Ian Bishop slammed the KKR pacer, saying that the Australian has failed to live up to the expectations.
“I would assume that Mitchell Starc, especially at that price, hasn’t really hit the nail on its head. He got three wickets last game but tonight again he would have been hoping to step up. There was this one over, where he was going wide, wide, wide. When you need sixes, I think it’s a good plan. Then you talk about backing yourself - of course, there was that five wides and the short ball which he got hooked for when there was nobody at the square. Instead of sticking with the wides, he moved back. So yeah, like I said… it’s the little things,” Bishop said on ESPNCricinfo.
Former New Zealand pacer Mitchell McClenaghan said that while Starc is one of the best bowlers in international cricket, he is still learning to bowl in IPL.
“Two overs in a row, we are talking about the first ball. He has tried to bowl the slower ball, and I think he is trying to bowl a wide slower ball. When you are bowling on these pitches, that first ball goes out of the park. And that is a good momentum starter for the bowler. And it not only creates chaos in your mind but in the captain’s mind too. He is also changing because the game is evolving. IPL is a different beast as compared to international. The grounds are so much smaller. Even mishits go for six. I think he is learning to bowl a lot more defensively on Indian grounds,” said McClenaghan.
