Starc’s March fitness deadline
AUSTRALIA will be without almost half of its first-choice XI during an ODI series in India but remains upbeat spearhead Mitchell Starc will return from injury before the World Cup.
Starc, crowned player of the tournament during Australia’s 2015 World Cup triumph, suffered a chest injury during the recent Test in Canberra.
The left-armer’s Test form was under the microscope throughout the summer, with Shane Warne the loudest of various critics, but he remains one of the most effective white-ball bowlers in the world.
Starc’s absence in England, where the World Cup starts in late May, would be an immense blow to Australia’s chances of retaining the trophy.
Chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns has confirmed Starc will miss the coming limited-overs tour of India, joining Josh Hazlewood (back) and suspended superstars Steve Smith and David Warner on the sidelines.
“Unfortunately, scans have revealed that Mitchell Starc sustained a substantial tear to his left pec muscle,” Hohns said.
“He will be unavailable for the tour of India, but we will instead target a return to play for the ODI series against Pakistan.”
Dates for the UAE series are yet to be announced but it’s likely to start in mid-March, giving Starc limited time to prove his fitness.
A final call on Warner’s hopes of returning next month in the second half of that UAE series is yet to be made.
Warner and Steve Smith are recovering from elbow surgery, with the most likely outcome being that the pair shape up for the World Cup by taking part in the Indian Premier League.
Langer recently indicated his team would be “crazy not to” call on the services of Warner and Smith in their World Cup defence, which starts on June 1 in England.
Australia must submit its World Cup squad by April 23 but is free to make changes without needing special approval until May 23.
Starc returned to form in the second Test against Sri Lanka, taking 10 wickets in a man-of-the-match performance.
Australia will play two Twenty20s and five one-dayers against India, with the action kicking off on February 24 at Vizag.