Cricket: Mitchell Starc hopeful of playing at T20 World Cup and Test against Afghanistan

Playing at this year’s T20 World Cup could lead to Mitch Starc missing the opening Test of the Australian summer.

Mitchell Starc is preparing for Australia’s five-match T20 series against the West Indies. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Mitch Starc is hopeful of government intervention to ensure he can play for Australia at both this year’s T20 World Cup and a Test match against Afghanistan in late November.

Paceman Starc, one of the finest white-ball bowlers in the world, looms as a certain selection in Australia’s squad for the T20 World Cup in the UAE and Oman from October 17 to November 14.

However, should Australia reach the final, two weeks of quarantine for the players on their return home would rule them out of the Test with Afghanistan starting in Hobart on November 27 – unless the government makes exemptions for them.

“We all want to play as much cricket as we can,” said Starc from St Lucia, where he is preparing for Australia’s five-match T20 series against West Indies starting on Saturday (AEST).

“Test match cricket is certainly the pinnacle for a lot of us, certainly is for me, as is a World Cup, so it’s going to be hard to pick and choose between the two of them.

“I’m sure CA (Cricket Australia) are certainly thinking about it and putting plans in place. The way of the world at the moment, it throws up a lot of hurdles.”

Regardless of whether exemptions are granted for the Test against Afghanistan, which will also serve as a tune up for this summer’s Ashes series, Starc is confident he will be well prepared for the five Tests against England.

Mitch Starc is keen to play in the T20 World Cup and in a Test match against Afghanistan. Picture: Patrick Hamilton/ AFP

“There have been past summers when we haven’t had tour games, warm-up games or Shield games before starting a Test match series,” he said.

“We’ve had to improvise and make sure we get a little bit of red-ball bowling in around white-ball preparations.

“It’s not something that is foreign or new. The multi-format players have all played cricket for quite a while and probably experienced the same situation, albeit in slightly different circumstances.”

Starc also stressed that Australia’s coach Justin Langer had the full backing of the squad in the West Indies following negative player feedback that led to a review.

Langer addressed the matter at a recent team camp on the Gold Coast and promised to tinker with his ways.

“It was a review of the whole group, not just Justin, and we spoke about a few things as a group, and he came forward and addressed the group from his side as well,” Starc said.

“The leadership he showed as the head coach was fantastic as well.

“Certainly, the whole group are behind him here, and we look forward to having him lead us through the next period of time.

“The time we’ve spent here in the West Indies so far, it’s been a great feeling around the group.

“It’s been quite relaxed and we’re looking forward to getting stuck into some next level preparation before that first game.”