Published: Feb 19, 2017, 03:56 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 19, 2017, 04:25 PM (IST)
Australian pacer Mitchell Starc has pulled out of the 10th season of India premier League 2017 (IPL) in a bid to focus more on Test cricket. Starc has been a prominent member of the Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) who were runners-up in the last edition of the cash-rich Twenty20 league in India which is scheduled to begin from April 5. Starc’s announcement comes just a day before the IPL auctions were to be held in Bangalore on February 20. Interestingly, RCB had missed out on Starc’s services in the previous season too due to an injury.
The decision to pull out of IPL will suffer a big blow Bangalore franchise who would have been hoping to get his services given the aspect of his positive form in recent time. But this decision will be highly regarded by cricket-purist as the bowler wants to rest himself for longest form of cricket and also for the approaching ICC Champions Trophy 2017. Australia will be playing ICC Champions Trophy 2017 where they will be playing their first game on June 2 against New Zealand. So, this move from Starc can be termed very good and safe given the rigorous format of the IPL which has incurred many injuries on fast bowlers.
Starc has emerged as pace attack leader for Australia in recent tours. He was their top bowler in the Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka where they had to undergo a humiliating whitewash (0-4). Despite the Test defeat, Starc was the only positive aspect for his team as he managed to take 24 wickets in the series, 4 less than leading Sri Lanka veteran spinner wicket-taker Rangana Herath.
This move of pulling out of this season will mean Stac will be parting ways with his Bangalore-based franchise as next year all the franchise are to have a fresh auction for each and every player participating in the tournamnet.
Moreover, the left-arm pacer is also to lead the Australia bowling attack in Australia’s tour of India where they are scheduled to play four-Test series starting from February 23 in Pune which will be ending on May 21.
In other news, the Rising Pune Supergiants have appointed Australia skipper Steven Smith as their full-time captain after MS Dhoni was removed from his position owing to their dismal performance in the last season of IPL.
