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With skipper Pat Cummins sidelined by a back stress issue and Josh Hazlewood nursing a hamstring strain, Starc will lead a relatively inexperienced Australian fast bowling unit.
Mitchell Starc celebrates taking the wicket of England’s Rory Burns (Picture credit: AFP)
Left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc expressed his readiness to take on additional responsibility as he stands as the lone senior pacer for the Ashes series opener, beginning Friday at Perth Stadium.
With skipper Pat Cummins sidelined by a back stress issue and Josh Hazlewood nursing a hamstring strain, Starc will lead a relatively inexperienced Australian fast bowling unit, including Scott Boland, debutant Brendan Doggett, and all-rounder Cameron Green.
“I think we’re all pretty clear on our roles. Obviously, I’ve got a bit more experience. Scotty’s been around for quite a while, so it’s not like I’m telling him what to do,” Starc said.
“We’ve got Patty in the sheds with us anyway, so I might take on a bit more of an experienced role. But we’ve all been around for a while, so it’s about staying together as a group.”
“I don’t listen anyway. I’m not someone who’s going to hold back or be cautious. It is what it is. You can’t prepare for Tests three, four, and five without playing the first one. We’re all focused on this week. It’ll be handbrake off and away we go,” Starc told reporters on Wednesday.
Starc also supported Doggett’s ability to handle the pressure of an Ashes debut, as Australia’s third pace bowling option. Doggett was first called up to the Australian team during the 2018 Test tour of the UAE against Pakistan, and Starc believes the bowler has made significant progress since then.
“Brendan was a lot younger and more inexperienced back then. We knew his potential, and since then, he’s transitioned to South Australia. He’s in top form and has had a good couple of weeks. We as a group know his capabilities and the skills he brings.”
“He’s probably more comfortable in his own skin and around the group now than he was in 2018. If he gets his opportunity this week, it’ll be exciting to see what he can do in a Test match. Having had him around the group over the years, I think he’s in a great headspace,” Starc added.
Despite both Australian and English batters struggling on lively training pitches this week, Starc dismissed suggestions of a ‘green Mamba’ surface for the Ashes opener, indicating such predictions might be off the mark.
“It’s all good to look at the wicket, but until both teams have played on it, we can’t be sure what it’ll do. The training wickets had a bit of sideways movement and some variation in bounce.”
“We know everyone likes to talk about the pace and bounce of Perth, but we’ve also seen wickets here that have been flat and docile. So, despite the speculation about the wicket, we won’t know what to expect until we’ve played on it.”
(With PTI Inputs)
A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I have had …Read More
A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I have had … Read More
November 19, 2025, 22:46 IST
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