Cricket News: How Mitchell Starc sacrificed millions in franchise cricket to revive his Test career

Mitchell Starc is only four wickets away from getting 300 Test scalps, and if he achieves the milestone it will make him only the seventh player to reach that mark for Australia. 

He will also most likely surpass former teammates Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson – who have 310 and 313 Test wickets, respectively – sooner rather than later. 

Even more impressive is that he’ll surpass their tally while fielding a better bowling average than either of the two legendary bowlers. 

It’s a monumental achievement in waiting for Starc, especially since it has come at a great expense to him. 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">It&#39;s not been great for back pocket but...: Australia pacer Mitchell Starc on not playing IPL since 2015 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Starc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Starc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/KhszBQcYwV">https://t.co/KhszBQcYwV</a> <a href="https://t.co/a1pudQ5kDe">pic.twitter.com/a1pudQ5kDe</a></p>&mdash; Times Now Sports (@timesnowsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/timesnowsports/status/1603416649545416705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Since 2015, Starc has voluntarily opted out of being a part of the Indian Premier League (IPL) – a decision that has cost him close to $10 million in earnings. 

However, it has also kept his body and mind fit for the format he cherishes the most – Test cricket. And that means more than anything to the lanky left-armer from New South Wales. 

“Tests are always first form me. Tests far above white ball cricket,” Starc had told reporters earlier in the month. 

“I’ll decide on the rest as I go and where my body’s at and how I feel about it. I’d love to, selection and form pending, very much like to continue playing Test cricket as long as we can.” 

Rejecting the IPL is a decision that few if any, players will take, but one that has earned him praise from all involved – including former Australia coach Justin Langer. 

“He (Starc) loves playing Test cricket. An example of that is that he hasn’t been to the IPL because he wants to make sure his body is in the best shape possible to play Test cricket for Australia,” Langer told Channel 7 recently. 

“I really admire that. I admire everyone who goes and takes their career into their own hands. He has certainly done that. He’s a ripper.” 

For Starc, the ultimate endgame would be to not only break those records but also tick off two significant accomplishments – win the World Test Championship (WTC) and have a good showing in India. 

Australia currently sits atop the WTC standings and will be touring India in early 2023, so both of those accomplishments are distinctly possible. 

Starc has already won both the ODI and T20 World Cups and would love to add the WTC mace to that collection of trophies. 

A good showing in India will also do his reputation wonders since he has generally struggled on the dustier sub-continent tracks – in four Tests in India, he’s claimed only seven wickets at a forgettable average of 50.14. 

One thing remains certain – Starc’s decision to prioritise his Test career above everything else is something many future cricketers can take inspiration from. 

Sometimes it isn’t about the money; it’s about being the best in your field at the pinnacle of its pressure. Starc chose the latter, and he will be lionised because of it.