Published: Jun 18, 2016, 09:23 PM (IST)
Edited: Jun 19, 2016, 11:08 AM (IST)
Australia’s left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc admits the fact that he breaks down if he plays every single game with the amount of cricket being played around. Though, he did accept the fact that he had to stay out of the game for most of the time despite being fit. Starc was rested for two out of four matches so far in Tr-Nation series but is expected to be back for the must win match against South Africa on Sunday. Starc recently underwent ankle injury and missed major portion of the tournament be it ICC World T20 2016 or Indian Premier League (IPL) 2016 for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: West Indies Tri-Nation Series 2016, Australia vs South Africa, 7th ODI at Barbados
Mitchell Starc spoke to cricket.com.au and said, “It’s part of the plan, unfortunately. Being fit this time around and watching from the side can be a little bit frustrating. But I’ve got to look at the bigger picture and there’s a lot to come in the next six months, so I’ll stick by the plan and stick by what the medicos tell me to do. I don’t have too much say in it. I want to play every game. The bigger picture (is) we have three Tests against Sri Lanka, a one-day series that follows that, a one-day series in South Africa and then we’ve got the home summer. It’s feeling really good, but I’ve just got to manage that at this point in time. That’s for the medicos to do and me to sit back, unfortunately.” ALSO READ: Brendon McCullum admits Mitchell Starc was ‘too good’ for him in ICC World Cup 2015
He finally made his much awaited international comeback during the tri-series and has also been named in the Test squad to play Sri Lanka next month. Starc revealed that the team medical staff takes a call on his availability for a game a day before, “I’m getting used to being told what to do,” he said. “It’d be really nice to play every single game, but the sheer amount of cricket we play these days, if you play every game, you’re going to break down at some point, so you have to be a little bit smarter about it. At the moment, I’m feeling really good. I’m feeling strong and ready to go at every point. It’s about me getting right for the next game, and if that involves playing, that’s lovely. But if it means I have to rest or sit out here and there, I’ll have to cop that on the chin as well.”
He further added, “It’s about finding that happy medium, where you’re not bowling yourself into the ground and you’re injured every 12 months. But at the same time, you want to keep that rhythm and be fresh enough to play as much as you can.”
