Mitchell Starc has hinted that he could return next season and also play for the same Kolkata Knight Riders franchise. Mitchell Starc also added that he hinted that he might soon retire from the ODI format.
Mitchell Starc returned to the Indian Premier League after a hiatus of 8 years. He last played in IPL 2015 for RCB. He was also selected by KKR in a later edition of the auction, but was ruled out due to injury.
For the last 8 years, fans always wanted Starc to return to IPL. However, Starc persisted in his decision to skip the tournament to focus on international cricket.
I hope to return to IPL next year: Mitchell Starc
While speaking to ESPN Cricinfo, Starc said that he loved the tournament and might return next season. He also noted that he will play for KKR.
“I’ve really enjoyed this season. It’s been great, it gets us to the World Cup, that’s the other side of the benefit of being here against incredible players in an incredible tournament. “It’s great preparation for a World Cup.
“Next year, I don’t know exactly the schedule, but I have enjoyed it, I hope to come back next year and I hope you will see me again dressed in purple and gold (KKR’s colors).”
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Notably, Starc has been a crucial member of Australia’s team in ICC events since the 2015 ICC ODI World Cup, when Australia won the World Cup on home soil for the first time. He was also part of the team in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 and led the team to win the trophy.
He, along with Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, played an important role in India winning the 2023 ODI World Cup by defeating the men in blue on their own turf.
Mitchell Starc hints at retiring from ODI format
Mitchell Starc also hinted that he could gradually retire from international cricket by bringing the curtain down on one of two formats. He also added that he played in the IPL to form his rhythm for T20 cricket and tried to stay ahead of the batsmen.
“I’ve played a lot of cricket, so I know how to handle myself. I haven’t played a lot of T20 cricket in recent years, so for me, it was trying to find that rhythm of the T20 format, and trying to stay ahead of the batsmen.”
“For the last nine years, I’ve prioritized Australian cricket. I’ve given myself the opportunity to give my body a rest and spend some time away from cricket with my wife too, so I’ve certainly been thinking about that for the last few years.” nine years,” he added.
“Looking ahead… look, I’m certainly closer to the end of my career than the beginning. A format can disappear. There’s a long time left before the next one-day World Cup and whether that format continues for me or not …may open doors for more franchise cricket,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, Starc picked crucial wickets in the playoffs during IPL 2024. He picked up 2 wickets in his first two overs in the final. He also dismissed the dangerous Travis Head in the Qualifier 1 game to dismantle SRH Army and prevent them from going big in the first innings.
