Mitchell Starc End IPL Exile, Makes Himself Available For IPL 2024
Published - 07 Sep 2023, 12:57 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:18 AM
Australia star Mitchell Starc is all set to end his self-imposed exile from the Indian Premier League ahead of the next season of the competition.
Widely regarded as one of the best fast-bowlers of the generation, the left-arm pacer has played just two seasons in the IPL. He made his debut in the T20 competition in 2014 and returned to India in 2015 too. In two seasons, he played a total of 27 games for Royal Challengers Bangalore before deciding against participating in the IPL for various reasons.
Mitchell Starc was close to making a return to the IPL in 2018 after Kolkata Knight Riders signed him up in the auction. However, the pacer had to withdraw from the competition due to an injury. On other occasions, he decided against playing the IPL due to international commitments or in order to spend more time at home. As per reports, the World Cup-winning bowler has missed a potential $10m-plus in personal earnings by not participating in the IPL since 2015.
Mitchell Starc to play IPL:
After being away from the IPL for almost a decade, Mitchell Starc has said that he is ready to make a comeback to the tournament next year. The Australia star has said that he will make himself available for IPL 2024 ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup.
“I’m definitely going back in (next) year,” Mitchell 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.
“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,” he added.
Talking about his IPL career, he has picked up 34 wickets in 27 games so far at an average of 20.38 and an economy of 7.17. Quality fast-bowlers have always been in demand in the IPL and Mitchell Starc could cause a bidding war in the auction for next IPL. While he has not played in the IPL since 2015, he has ample experience of bowling in Indian conditions.
