(Image source: X.com)
[Saba Sports News] Australia left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc has hinted at his continued commitment to white-ball cricket, emphasizing that it is not yet the right time to bid farewell to ODIs.
Despite Australia’s successful entry into the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 semi-finals, where they will face South Africa on November 16 at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, Starc revealed he would not be partaking in the 2027 World Cup.
“I plan to keep playing after this, but I am certain that I won’t be participating in the next World Cup. I don’t have any plans for that. Four years is a long time,” Starc stated as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.
For Starc, the upcoming semi-final is just another one-day game, asserting that it does not mark the end of his ODI journey. Despite acknowledging that he has not reached his desired level in this World Cup, Starc sees the knockout stage as an opportunity to showcase his true worth.
“I have always maintained that Test cricket is my top priority, and I will give up the rest before I give up Test cricket. For me, [the semi-final] is just another one-day game for Australia; it’s not the end of the road in one-day cricket for me yet,” he added
“I certainly haven’t been at the level I would have liked…or not the same level as the last two World Cups anyway, but now a chance at the pointy end to impact again.”
Starc, reflecting on the challenges in ODIs, pointed out the batting-friendly pitches, evident in the staggering ratio of centuries scored (25) compared to five-wicket hauls taken (6) in the World Cup 2023. Despite the skewed numbers, he stressed the imperative for bowlers to adapt and innovate in the ever-evolving landscape of ODI cricket.
“Certainly bowling first on particular wickets, the new ball with two fielders out I think has been almost the hardest time to bowl. You get a bit of an understanding of the wicket as the game goes on…that’s not a sob story, that’s the nature of one-day cricket.
“You’ve got two brand new balls on flat wickets, that’s the nature of the World Cup if you look at the runs scored, or certainly centuries scored, as opposed to five wickets taken, the ratios are heavily skewed. Bowlers just have to find a way,” Starc concluded.