Ashes 2023: Mitchell Starc unsure if he will be picked for the second Test
Out of sorts at the World Test Championship final, Mitchell Starc has rediscovered his rhythm but knows an Ashes recall is far from certain, writes DANIEL CHERNY.
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Mitchell Starc has spent the past couple of weeks trying to find his rhythm after conceding he wasn’t at his best during the World Test Championship final.
The left-armer was hopeful but as of Monday afternoon uncertain as to whether he would be included in the Australian XI for the second Test at Lord’s.
Starc was omitted for the Ashes opener at Edgbaston after going at more than five runs per over across both innings of the WTC decider against India at The Oval.
Scott Boland and Josh Hazlewood were preferred to Starc, however Boland copped it in Birmingham, leaving Australian selectors considering a recall to Starc at the Victorian’s expense for a date at the home of cricket.
Starc said he had been off his game against India.
“I came into that game feeling pretty good, but then my rhythm wasn’t quite there,” Starc said.
“It’s been a good couple of weeks of work to get back into that rhythm.”
While the 78-Test veteran would clearly prefer to be playing, he had come to terms with being dropped for Tests in the UK, having played just one of the four Tests in the corresponding series four years ago.
“I’m used to it now coming to England,” Starc said.
“It’s a squad mentality, much the same as last time. We’ve got a great set of bowlers not just in this squad but a couple of other guys playing county cricket. I’m not sure specifically, but it’s a very, very short Ashes crammed into the space of seven weeks. We knew it was going to be hard work for anyone to play all the games. We’ve all taken that approach and will for the rest of the Test matches.
“Been around long enough, been dropped enough. Probably dropped the most in this squad. Not something new to me, won’t be the last time, either. It’s never fun, everyone wants to play.”
Starc was relegated to first-change bowler in the second innings at The Oval, but downplayed the significance of the move.
“Still bowling a cricket ball at three stumps at the other end,” he said.
“There’s been a few discussions from a few of the guys playing county cricket and the way the Dukes ball is reacting this season, potentially the fact that you get 8-15 overs into an innings and the ball actually starts to swing then, not when it’s brand new.
“Some theories floating around, from batters in particular, about how that ball might react. There was very little swing at Edgbaston for anyone because of the dryness of the wicket.”
Originally published as Ashes 2023: Mitchell Starc unsure if he will be picked for the second Test
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