"He has proved to the world that..." - Bharat Arun on Mitchell Starc's comeback in IPL 2024 playoffs
Published - 28 May 2024, 03:56 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 01:12 AM
Former Team India bowling coach Bharat Arun praised Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) fast bowler Mitchell Starc for his remarkable comeback in the playoffs of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season. Bharat Arun described Mitchell Starc as one of the greatest bowlers in the world across all three formats.
Kolkata Knight Riders bought Mitchell Starc for Rs 24.75 crore in last year's mini-auction. The left-arm pacer struggled in the early stages of the IPL 2024 season due to the pressure of his price tag. He registered bowling figures of 0/53 and 0/47 in his first two matches of the recently concluded tournament.
The 34-year-old ended with figures of 3/34 in the crucial Qualifier 1 match against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH). The veteran pacer earned "Player of the Match" for helping the team reach the final. He finished with 2/24 off his three overs in the final and was named Player of the Match in Chennai on May 26.
Mitchell Starc Is One Of The Greatest Bowlers - Bharat Arun
In a conversation with RevSportz, Bharat Arun stated that Mitchell Starc delivered an exceptional performance when it counted the most. Arun stated that Starc was aware of his strengths and understanding of match conditions, which made him unstoppable.
"He has proved to the world that he is one of the greatest bowlers in all formats. And when the chips were down, a lot of people criticised him, but given the bowler he is, who has (also) faced many such situations. He was aware of his strengths. It was just a matter of time (for him) to understand the conditions and once he did it, he was unstoppable," Bharat Arun told RevSportz.
Mitchell Starc played a pivotal role in the Knight Riders' IPL victory after ten years. The senior cricketer ended the season with 17 wickets in 14 matches, with an average of 26.11 and an economy rate of 10.61. He became the first player to receive the Player of the Match award twice in the history of the IPL playoffs.
Everyone Is Aware Of What Mitchell Starc Can Do - Bharat Arun
Bharat Arun emphasized that discussions during Mitchell Starc's struggles focused on reminding him of his strengths and how to utilize them effectively. Arun stated that once Starc embraced these insights, his performance noticeably improved.
"Everyone is aware of what Starc can do as a bowler and that is precisely the reason why he was taken by the franchise. Yes, the dialogues are always about reminding his strengths and my experience of watching him bowl closely during the India and Australia series," Arun further added.
"We also had discussions about how he has to put his strengths to use, particularly in hot and humid conditions. How he can preserve his energy. Once he got a feel of the conditions and focussed on his strengths, the result was for everyone to see," he concluded.
Mitchell Starc will be next in action during the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the USA. The Mitchell Marsh-led team is grouped with Oman, England, Namibia, and Scotland. The team will begin their campaign with a match against Oman on June 5 in Barbados.
