“We’ve got absolutely the depth to be able to cover Starc’s absence”: Tony Dodemaide hints about resting Mitchell Starc for Jhye Richardson in Ashes 2021-22 Hobart test

Ashes 2021-22: Australia is in a discussion about resting Mitchell Starc for the D/N test in Hobart, with Jhye Richardson closing in on return.

Australia missed the chance of Ashes 2021-22 whitewash after England managed to draw the 4th test in Sydney. The last test of the series will start on 14 January 2022 in Hobart. This game will be a D/N test and 12 points of the World Test Championship will be up for the grabs.

The Australian side is in a good rhythm, but they can make some changes in their pace battery. Mitchell Starc is the only pacer who has played all four tests so far. He has scalped 15 wickets in the series, whereas he has also contributed 151 runs with the bat. However, he managed to take just a single wicket in the Sydney test. Mitchell Starc is the highest wicket-taker with the pink ball, and this thing gives him an edge.

Tony Dodemaide, selector of Australia has confirmed that they will take a call on Mitchell Starc after a discussion. There are a lot of multi-format games ahead of Australia, and they don’t want to risk Starc.

“It’s one of the conversations that we will have,” Dodemaide said of Starc’s fitness.

“He is a key asset for us with a heavy schedule coming up, not only in the white-ball (games) but also the tours that will come up soon afterwards.”

“We haven’t seen the (Hobart) pitch yet … so we’ll take a few things into account.”

Ashes 2021-22: Jhye Richardson is in line to play the Hobart test

Tony Dodemaide has confirmed that Jhye Richardson is in line to be fit for the game. Richardson took a fifer in the last pink-ball Test at Adelaide. He has performed well in the Sheffield Shield too and can be a cover for Mitchell Starc.

“Jhye is coming along really well,” Dodemaide said.

“He took five-for in a pink-ball game in Adelaide only a couple of weeks ago, and also in the last Shield game that he had down here he performed extremely well.”

“So we think we’ve got absolutely the depth to be able to cover (Starc’s absence) if that was the case.”

Scott Boland is in exceptional form in the series, and he should keep his place. Although, his record at Hobart’s Blundstone Arena with the red-ball has not been impressive. Josh Hazlewood is already ruled out of the ongoing Ashes.