“My Rhythm Wasn’t Quite There”: Mitchell Starc Reveals The Reason Behind Being Left Out Of Birmingham Test

Australian pacer Mitchell Starc took the wicket of English opener Rory Burns on the very first ball of Ashes 2021-22. However, the left-arm fast bowler was not present in the first Ashes 2023 Test in Birmingham. He has himself revealed the reason behind his snub in Edgbaston.

Before the first Test, it was said that the pacers Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland were fighting for the last spot in the playing XI. Australian captain Pat Cummins revealed at the toss that both Hazlewood and Boland were playing at the cost of Starc. Starc has been the premier new ball bowler for Australia with the red ball for a long time now.

Starc played the World Test Championship final against India ahead of the Ashes and he was not great in that game. It is a five-match series and the pacer is not worried about his place as the bowlers will be rotated throughout to manage their workload.

Mitchell Starc Reveals The Reason Behind Being Left Out Of Birmingham Test

Talking to cricket.com.au, Starc agreed that he was not at his best ahead of the Edgbaston Test. Starc scalped just four wickets in the WTC final and his economy was over five in both innings. He was constantly leaking runs in that match and was clearly struggling to get his lengths right.

Starc has been constantly training and believes that he is now ready to take that red cherry again. Although, he is still not sure about his place in the side. Boland was not great in the first match and it will be an interesting call to make for the management.

“I came into that game feeling pretty good, but then my rhythm wasn’t quite there.”

“It’s been a good couple of weeks of work to get back into that rhythm.”

The pitch at the Lord’s is expected to be on the quicker side and new ball bowlers will play a crucial part here. Starc is looking excited for the Test and even the English batters are expecting Starc to play the game. They are practicing to counter him in the nets.

Mitchell Starc Performance at Lord’s

Starc has played just a single Test at Lord’s and it was during Ashes 2015. He scalped just a couple of wickets in that game at a strike rate of 87.00. This stat is certainly not great but it will be unfair to judge him on just a single Test.

Looking at the green pitch, Starc can be an unstoppable force with the new ball. He has been one of those players who has constantly missed the Indian Premier League to focus on his red-ball career. The 2nd Ashes match is not so far now and all the eyes will be on Australian XI.