Mitchell Starc’s Commitment to Test Cricket: A Legacy in the Making

Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc has no intention of following the trend of becoming a white-ball specialist, as some of his contemporaries have done. Instead, the left-arm pace legend is scaling back his involvement in short-form cricket to prolong his Test career and maintain his physical condition for as long as possible.

Starc is on the brink of a significant milestone, being just 11 matches away from reaching 100 Test appearances for Australia. This achievement would place him among an elite group of Australian bowlers, with only Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, and Nathan Lyon having played more than 100 Tests.

Although Starc doesn’t dwell on the milestone, he acknowledges that reaching 100 Tests would be a special moment. “However long I go for—if it’s 11 matches, if it’s more, if it’s not—I do thoroughly enjoy playing cricket for Australia, and every time I get to wear the baggy green cap, it feels very special,” Starc shared.

Starc has recently taken a well-deserved break, having returned home to Sydney after representing Australia in the Twenty20 World Cup. He is set to join the Australian squad for a white-ball tour in England next month but has already been rested from the T20 games. Upon his return to Australia, Starc plans to participate in domestic cricket for New South Wales before turning his attention to the Border-Gavaskar series on home soil.

Despite the packed schedule, Starc is clear that Test cricket remains his top priority. With seven Tests coming up in quick succession—five against India and two in Sri Lanka—Starc emphasizes that these matches are at the forefront of his focus. “The Tests will always be taking precedence for me,” he stated, adding that the Australian pace trio, including Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, are committed to all three formats of the game, though they may prioritize differently depending on the circumstances.

Starc also addressed the prospect of his and his teammates’ future in Test cricket, suggesting that there is no fixed end date for their careers. “There is certainly no end date on our bowling careers. That will be an ongoing one. We’ll see where our bodies are and the desire to keep going, but at this stage, it’s all guns blazing for five Tests against India.”

Australia has not won a Test series against India in nearly a decade, and with the upcoming Border-Gavaskar trophy now contested over five matches, Starc is determined to lead his team to victory. “Being five matches now, it’s probably right on par with an Ashes series. We always want to win every game at home, and we know India is a very strong team,” Starc remarked, highlighting the significance of the series.