Mitchell Starc In High Demand As Five IPL Franchises Reach Out To Him Ahead Of Auction

Australia fast-bowler Mitchell Starc is reportedly in high demand among the franchises ahead of the highly-anticipated auction of the next Indian Premier League (IPL) season.

The deadline for players to register for the upcoming auction is Thursday (November 30). The players need to submit their names along with No Objection Certificates (NOCs) through their respective boards. The much-awaited mini-auction is scheduled to take place in Dubai on December 19. More than 700 players are expected to register for the auction.

And Mitchell Starc is one of the most sought-after players. The left-arm pacer has played just two seasons of the IPL with his last appearance coming way back in 2015. He has skipped the IPL in recent years due to several reasons such as injury or prioritizing international commitment and time with his family.

Mitchell Starc, however, is ready to make his much-awaited return to the IPL and several franchises are keen to secure his services. According to a report in Cricbuzz, the fast bowler is expected to be hotly pursued by franchises, despite his history of making himself unavailable after being acquired in previous auctions.

Mitchell Starc ready to return to IPL:

Sources close to Cricket Australia have told the news outlet that at least five franchises have reached out to the Australia star. The World Cup winner looks set to feature prominently on the marquee list. In September this year, Mitchell Starc confirmed his willingness to play in the IPL in order to prepare for next year’s T20 World Cup. W

“I’m definitely going back in (next) year. 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 had told the Willow Talk cricket podcast.

In two seasons of IPL that he has played so far, the Australia pacer has picked up 34 wickets in 27 games while maintaining an economy rate of just over 7. In both the seasons, he plied his trade for Royal Challengers Bangalore. In 2018, he was signed up by Kolkata Knight Riders but eventually decided to withdraw from the tournament due to an injury.