Mitchell Starc officially cleared to play IPL 2026 for Delhi Capitals, joining date revealed

In a mega boost for Delhi Capitals (DC), their biggest fast-bowling weapon, Mitchell Starc, is finally on the way to India for the ongoing TATA Indian Premier League 2026 (TATA IPL 2026). After weeks of uncertainty, Mitchell Starc has been cleared to play in the tournament.

This is a massive boost for the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the middle of the ongoing season. The team has been searching for momentum, and Starc’s arrival at this stage will strike the right balance for them. Notably, Starc was retained by the DC for INR 11.75 crore before the mini-auction.

Injury break ends for Mitchell Starc

Mitchell Starc had been out of action due to elbow and shoulder injuries that he picked up during a busy Australian season. He played all five Tests in the Ashes 2025-26 and delivered a top-class performance against England. The fiery speedster played a key role in Australia’s dominant 4-1 Ashes series win at home.

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After that, he also featured in the Big Bash League (BBL) 2025-26 for the Sydney Sixers, which added more load on his body. Because of these injuries, Starc had to miss the early part of the ongoing IPL 2026. But now Starc is ready to roar again in the Delhi jersey in the Indian league.

Big boost for Delhi Capitals, as Mitchell Starc cleared to play IPL 2026

As reported by cricket.com.au, Cricket Australia (CA) has, on Thursday, April 23, given the clearance to Starc to turn up for the Delhi Capitals in the ongoing IPL 2026 after completing his recovery process thoroughly. The plan is to manage his workload carefully.

The fast bowler will start training and increase his bowling step by step before entering the IPL 2026 actions. If everything goes well, Starc is expected to make his first appearance for DC this season on May 1 when they will face the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Jaipur.

The report stated, “Mitchell Starc has been cleared by Cricket Australia to resume playing and will head to India for a belated link-up with Delhi Capitals at the Indian Premier League. He would then be available for the Capitals' remaining regular season matches and any subsequent finals campaign.”

Pat Cummins set for IPL 2026 return against Starc's DC

Apart from Starc. Another Australian star, Pat Cummins, is also ready to make his comeback in the IPL. The Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain missed the start of the season due to a back injury.

But after the latest scans, Cummins has been fully cleared and is now set to play his first IPL 2026 match against Rajasthan Royals on Saturday, April 25.

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Mixed season for Delhi Capitals

Speaking about the Delhi Capitals’ performance in the tournament, they are currently sitting on the 5th position in the IPL 2026 points table. They have played 6 matches so far, winning 3 and losing 3.

In their last match on April 21, they lost by 47 runs to SRH after failing to chase a big target of 243 runs. They are now set to face Punjab Kings (PBKS) on April 25 in their next IPL 2026 clash at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.