Australia pacer Mitchell Starc says he is ready to “milk” his body in order to succeed more in the game’s longest format and feels he still has a lot left in him to play Test and ODI cricket.
In an effort to prepare for the Ashes, IPL, an away Test series in India, and the ODI World Cup in two years, Starc, 35, has declared his retirement from T20Is.
The left-handed fast bowler, who has previously skipped the Indian Premier League to save energy for international assignments, will not participate in the T20 World Cup, which is set to take place in India and Sri Lanka in the early months of next year.
“For lack of a better term, I want to milk my body as much as I can for as much Test cricket as possible. That was never going to be off the table,” Starc was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.
“I just felt like one of the other (formats) had to give. I feel like I’ve got plenty to offer the ODI team and with that goal of getting my body to 2027 — but also being good enough to be in that team for the World Cup in 2027. I felt like this was my best opportunity to prolong my Test career and get to that World Cup (in 2027).”
Australia won their first-ever T20 World Cup in the UAE in 2021, and Starc was a key player in that victory.
“I umm-ed and ahh-ed about which was the right (format) to put to the side. If I wasn’t going to be in the frame for 2027 then I didn’t want to hold up the spot. I still feel like I’ve got plenty to offer that ODI team. I’d thought about it for a while. I feel like it was probably a good time. I’m 35 now, Tests have always been my priority and they will remain my priority,” he said.
Starc might end his career as one of the all-time great ODI World Cup bowlers if he survives until the 2027 World Cup in South Africa. The only players with more World Cup wickets than Starc (2015, 2019, and 2023) are Glenn McGrath (71 in four World Cups: 1996, 1999, 20003, and 2007) and Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka (68 in five tournaments from 1996 to 2011).
The team is doing well with new players joining, so Starc thinks he is leaving the T20 side at the ideal moment.
“The T20 team seems pretty settled with the guys that have come in, they’ve done some great stuff. Nathan Ellis is flying, Ben Dwarshuis has played a great role, Spencer (Johnson) has done some good stuff when he’s played, Sean Abbott as well… I feel like that team is in a great spot and I don’t need to interrupt that,” he said.
The three-match home ODI series against India and a possible Sheffield Shield appearance prior to the Ashes are now his main priorities.
“The three one-dayers (against India) are a nice, controlled lead-in to five Test matches, 10 overs a game, time on the legs, they’re not a day after each other. There’s some Shield games that can be added to that schedule. (But) I think it’s important not to have a concrete way of thinking,” he said.
“At times we haven’t had time for a Shield game before (Test) summers, at times we’ve had time for one or two. But I’ve enjoyed them in the past and will probably look to play one this year.”
