After skipping the IPL, Australian quick Mitch Starc signs with Sydney Sixers for BBL10
Mitch Starc has no regrets about ignoring IPL money but he’s concerned about international cricket. The Aussie star opens up after signing with the Sixers for BBL10.
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As Fox Sports and Channel 7 brace for the prospect of Australia’s IPL stars having to be rested during the home summer, Mitchell Starc will do the reverse.
The one Australian superstar who shunned the million dollars on offer for him in India has signed a shock late-season Big Bash League deal with the Sydney Sixers.
There are fears the likes of Steve Smith, David Warner, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood could be physically and mentally cooked before the summer even begins following the taxing demands of living isolated away from partners and families in the IPL bubble in Dubai.
Smith has already stated he is zero chance of playing any Big Bash this summer.
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Starc has joined Smith in casting doubt over whether international cricket can continue as scheduled next year due to the unsustainability of the bubble life, but believes he’s got enough juice in him to headline the BBL’s final couple of weeks on a cut-price five-figure deal.
The left-arm destroyer says he has no regrets about prioritising rest, red-ball preparation and a bit of extra time with wife Alyssa Healy (albeit still only 36 hours in his own house), over making “bags of cash” in the IPL.
“I don’t regret it at all. It’s another eight-week bubble for the guys who are over there. I’m not sure they’re too unhappy coming home with bags of cash. It was their decision. I’m certainly not unhappy with my decision,” said Starc.
“I’ve only been home for two days, but being in the Shield hub is slightly more relaxed, talking to a few of the guys and what they’re faced with (in Dubai).
“It’s been nice to be back in Australia and prepare for red-ball cricket. In terms of the IPL, I don’t regret that decision at all.
“Looking at the fixtures there’s definitely the last two games before the finals that (Australian) guys are available for the BBL. I’m still really keen to pull on the magenta.
“I’m excited to sign with the Sixers and excited to be joining back up with that great club. But there’s a lot of cricket to go before pulling on the magenta shirt.”
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Cricket’s broadcasters are frustrated that Indian cricket has compromised the start of the summer with the timing of the rescheduled IPL across October-November.
It’s not only impacted on summer scheduling but will affect how many big names can feature in the season-opening white ball series against India, and then the Big Bash – because the superstars can’t be expected to play through without rest.
Fox and Seven pay about $200 million a year and want the best players playing, although it must be said the IPL normally has no impact on the summer in its usual April time slot.
For Cricket Australia it’s somewhat of a catch 22, because if it banned their stars from going to Dubai for the IPL, it may have risked the almighty BCCI boycotting the Test summer.
Meanwhile, a report out of India on Sunday claimed Virat Kohli may skip the last two Tests of the Australian Test series to head home for the birth of his first child in January.
Cricket Australia said they’ve heard nothing about Kohli not being available, and the Indian skipper’s plans remain a tightly guarded secret, with his wife Anushka Sharma’s exact due date still unknown or how it fits in with a series that doesn’t finish until January 19.
Whether or not to allow players to go to the IPL may become even more of an issue in April when its next tournament rolls around, given players are already wondering how many more international bubbles and quarantine periods they can commit to.
In a chilling warning to administrators that reducing the length or number of tours next year, or rotating the players chosen, may have to be considered unless a COVID-19 vaccine is found, Starc insists bubble cricket is already wearing thin.
“Hub life is definitely not sustainable. It’s a lot of cricket and a lot of time in hubs between now and when I’m available to play for the Sixers so we’ll see how that pans out and see how restrictions are in place for that,” said Starc.
“When you’re stuck in situations like that, month after month, going from bubble to bubble … and if those restrictions remain the same or quite similar, it can be quite tiresome on the mind and body as well.
“Then you throw in the extra hurdle for guys with families and kids.”
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Originally published as After skipping the IPL, Australian quick Mitch Starc signs with Sydney Sixers for BBL10