A knee niggle will keep left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc out of the start of the IPL 2015. He will remain in Australia for “two-three weeks” of recuperation before joining Royal Challengers Bangalore, with whom he had debuted last season.
“Mitchell had some knee soreness during the latter stages of the World Cup,” Australia’s physio Alex Kountouris said, “He will have a short period off to rest and recover, before being reassessed by CA medical staff. We estimate his recovery time will be between two-three weeks.”
Starc picked up 14 wickets from as many matches and conceded 7.49 per over for Royal Challengers in 2014. His fitness will be tracked along with fellow fast bowler and new recruit Adam Milne’s, who had to pull out of the World Cup with a heel problem. The team does have fast-bowling backup, though, in the form of India’s Varun Aaron and Ashok Dinda, and Australia seamer and winner of the Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year Sean Abbott.
Over the last 12 months, Starc has played 27 of the 37 international matches for Australia, including all of the last 14 ODIs. His standout performance at the World Cup – 22 wickets at 10.18 and an economy of 3.5 per over – earned him the Player-of-the-Tournament award and the No. 1 ranking in ODIs. He was backed to continue in the same vein in Tests as well, as Australia turn their attention to overseas success – a tour of West Indies in June and the Ashes in July being their first assignments.
