"Mitchell Starc Was Being Oversmart.."- Simon Doull

Former cricketer-turned-commentator Simon Doull has criticized Mitchell Starc for donning the wicketkeeping gloves during warm-ups ahead of the match between Australia and Bangladesh in the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.

With a place in the semifinals already booked, the left-arm pacer was rested for the game on Saturday (November 11). Along with him, Glenn Maxwell was rested too as Australia included Steve Smith and Sean Abbott in the playing eleven. And just before the toss, Mitchell Starc donned the wicketkeeping gloves.

The 33-year-old, who was a wicketkeeper in his youth, was seen keeping against the other Australia pacers. And it did not go down well with Simon Doull. Known for speaking his mind out, the former New Zealand pacer stated that letting Mitchell Starc keep against pacers was “fraught with danger”. The former cricketer stated that keeping against the fast bowlers could expose Starc to potential injury.

“I know he’s probably getting keeping lessons at home from (wife) Alyssa Healy,” Doull said.

“He was actually wicketkeeping this morning to the quick bowlers, and I thought, ‘That is fraught with danger’. You’ve got a couple of games left in the World Cup, and you’ve got the gloves on wicketkeeping to the quicks. If you get one on the finger, I just didn’t think that was overly smart,” he added,

Matthew Hayden also weighed in, saying: “Not that I watch your forehead closely, but I saw it crinkle up, with one eyebrow raised. You’re having the day off, the last thing you want to do is break a finger.”

Mitchell Starc’s World Cup campaign so far:

Mitchell Starc has not enjoyed a very prolific campaign in the ongoing competition so far. In 8 games so far, he has picked up 10 wickets at an average of 43.90 while conceding 6.55 runs per over. The World Cup-winning pacer was the leading wicket-taker in the last two editions of the ODI World Cup.

In 2015, he picked up 22 wickets in eight games and played a key role in Australia’s triumphant campaign. Four years later, he accounted for 27 wickets from 10 games as Australia made it to the semifinals before losing to eventual winners England.