Australia's Mitchell Starc Opts Out Of IPL 2020

Mitchell Starc will be managing his workload ahead of the next year’s T20 World Cup and will not playing the Indian Premier League (IPL) next year. As per a report in ESPNcricinfo, Starc has opted out of the league for the second consecutive season but he is apart o The Hundred which will be played in England next year. Starc hasn’t featured in an IPL match since 2015. He played for RCB in 2014 and 2015 and scalped 34 wickets.

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Starc made himself available for IPL 2018 and was also bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 9.6 Crore but had to pull out due to an injury suffered during the Test series against South Africa. He did not take part in IPL 2019.

Like other Australian players, Starc was expected to be available for IPL 2020 but he will take rest during the two months as Australia not play any international fixture during IPL.

While Starc has opted out of IPL, his fellow pacers Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins have put their names in the top bracket, carrying a base price of Rs 2 Crore. Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh have also put their names in the top bracket.

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It is not known whether James Pattinson has registered for the auction. He did enter the previous auction but went unsold.

A lot of Australian players will be back in IPL this season. Last year, Cricket Australia made tough guidelines for its players. The players were only allowed to join the league after the end of Sheffield shield and were instructed to return before May 1 to prepare for the World Cup.

Steven Smith and David Warner played the T20 League as they hadn’t played top-level cricket due the one-year ban. They were selected in the national squad for World Cup 2019. Smith is set to lead Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2020 right from the start of the season.