Ashes the carrot for spearhead in return from injury

MITCHELL Starc says his desire to help Australia reclaim the Ashes left him determined to avoid another premature return from injury.

The pace spearhead will be a key absentee during Australia’s Test series against Bangladesh starting on Sunday, as well as a limited-overs tour of India next month.

Starc missed the third and fourth Tests against India ear- lier this year because of a stress fracture in his right foot.

The left-armer returned to play in the Champions Trophy in June but it later emerged his foot had not fully healed, prompting questions on why he was rushed back for the one-day tournament.

Plans to bring Starc back for the one-day series against India were later scuttled, with Cricket Australia last week saying his recovery was proceeding slower than expected.

The 27-year-old could resume bowling next week if scans come back clear, paving the way for him to line up during October’s domestic oneday competition.

“Hopefully the bone oedema, or hot spots as they are commonly known, are all gone in the foot, and I can start bowling on Monday if that’s the case,” Starc told a Cricket Australia podcast.

“I’ve been rushed back the last few times I’ve been injured, for tournaments, like the Champions Trophy, and my foot wasn’t right for that.

“The big series is the Ashes this summer, so I don’t want to go into that carrying anything small or coming back too early for an Indian tour.

“We figured the timeline suits coming back for the domestic one-day tournament, having some good cricket there, playing a few Shield games and then ready to go and available for selection for the Ashes.”

With the first Ashes Test starting on November 23, Starc and the rest of the squad will tune up with three Sheffield Shield games before assembling in Brisbane.