Mitchell Starc. (Source -IPL/BCCI)
Amidst a deluge of expectations surrounding Mitchell Starc, the premier sale of IPL 2024, who was enlisted by the Kolkata Knight Riders for a whopping INR 24.75 crore, the Australian’s resurgence in the league after an extensive hiatus encountered quite some bouts of turbulence. Across his first two appearances in his comeback season, he bled 100 runs, showcasing the tumultuous reintroduction following his tenure with the Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2015, which was his second consecutive season with RCB. However, as the season unfolded, he found his rhythm, coming in clutch during the playoffs with match-winning contributions of 3/34 and 2/14 against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 1 and the final, respectively.
After KKR’s emphatic win over SRH in the IPL 2024 final in Chennai, Starc revealed during the press briefing that Australian cricket has been his top priority for the past nine years. Additionally, he mentioned that he utilized the occasional breaks from international commitments to prioritize spending quality time with his family.
“The last nine years, I’ve prioritised Australian cricket. I’ve given myself a chance to give my body a break and spend some time away from cricket with my wife as well, so that’s certainly been where my head’s been for the last nine years,” stated Starc, at the post-match press conference post the final of IPL 2024.
Moreover, he expressed his belief that he was in the twilight of his career rather than the dawn, considering the option of withdrawing from a specific format. Additionally, he highlighted the distant prospect of the 2027 50-over World Cup, suggesting that skipping it would allow him to focus on participating in more franchise cricket.
“Moving forward…look, I am certainly closer to the end of my career than the start. One format may drop off. There’s a long time before the next one-day World Cup and whether that format continues for me or not, it may open doors for more franchise cricket,” shared Starc.
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It’s a great lead-up to a World Cup: Starc
In alignment with the sentiments echoed by the experts including former English skipper and ex-Indian spin maestro, Starc emphasized the significance of IPL participation as the best preparatory avenue for the upcoming marquee event in June. He conveyed his genuine delight in the season, noting the excitement of facing off against and partnering with top-tier players in a highly competitive setting, which he believed served as an exceptional build-up to the T20 World Cup 2024.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this season. It’s been great, it leads into the World Cup, that’s the other side of the benefit of being here against some amazing players in an amazing tournament. It’s a great lead-up to a World Cup,” added Starc.