Mitchell Starc’s near-decade long absence from the Indian Premier League is set to end with the veteran Australian quick to nominate for the lucrative T20 tournament.
The star left-armer has prioritised international duties and turned down the riches on offer in India since 2015 when he last played for Royal Challengers Bangalore.
But Starc has confirmed he will put his hand up for the auction and look to play in the IPL ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup in the United States.
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“I’m definitely going back in (next) year,” Starc told the Willow Talk cricket podcast. “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, then lead into the T20 World Cup.
Mitchell Starc (Photo by Matt King-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
“And it’s somewhat of a quiet winter next year … in comparison to this winter, so I think a perfect opportunity to put my name in.”
His decision to re-enter the frame for the IPL could be an indicator that he is ready to cut back on his national team commitments.
Several veteran players are tipped to retire from the ODI format after the World Cup which starts in India next month while Starc could also look at giving up the T20 version of the game at international level after next year’s showpiece tournament in the Caribbean and US.
After 2023 being the busiest year for an Australian cricket team on record – tour of India, World Test Championship final, an Ashes series in England, and the ODI World Cup – Starc won’t be the only player entering the IPL auction.
Towering all-rounder Cameron Green become the most expensive Australian cricketer in IPL history when Mumbai Indians bought him for $3.15 million last December.
Australian white-ball mainstays David Warner and Mitch Marsh also featured in this year’s IPL leading into the WTC final and five-Test Ashes series in England.
Starc admitted he was “closer to to the end” of his career. “I’m not sort of one for setting numbers, goals or personal goals or what I want to achieve this year,” the 33-year-old said.
“It took me a long time to feel like I was good enough Test cricket. So I want to really give that the biggest crack I’ve got.
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“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed white-ball cricket and that’s probably where I got my main opportunities in as well.
“Likewise, when I’ve had some time at the IPL I thoroughly enjoyed that challenge and I look forward to hopefully going back (next) year as well.
“I’d like to be good enough to get to 100 Tests. Not just get to 100, I’d 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.”
Starc has played 82 Tests, taking 333 wickets, so he would need to continue for another couple of years in the five-day format to reach that milestone.
with AAP
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