Mitchell Starc will board a flight to India on Friday after receiving the all-clear on a troublesome left shoulder and elbow. The Australia quick hopes to make his Delhi Capitals debut against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur on 1 May.
The 36-year-old has not bowled in a match since late January. During the Ashes he sent down 153.1 overs – that is more than 900 deliveries – and claimed 31 wickets at 19.93, earning Player-of-the-Series honours. He then squeezed in five Big Bash outings for Sydney Sixers before landing awkwardly while diving in the field against Perth Scorchers. A short February break followed, yet discomfort returned as soon as he tried to crank up his pace, pushing back his IPL arrival.
Fans were puzzled by his continued absence from the tournament. On social media Starc criticised what he called “heavily misinformed opinions” about why he was still in Australia. A week of pain-free spells at the SCG nets has now eased the tension: medical staff have signed him off, and Delhi’s coaching group will handle a short acclimatisation period once he lands.
If there are no setbacks, Starc should be free for the rest of the campaign. An internal Capitals source said simply: “He’s buzzing to get going; we’ll build him up sensibly.”
Starc’s pending appearance coincides with encouraging news for two other senior Australia quicks. Pat Cummins is tipped to play his first match of the season for Sunrisers Hyderabad this Saturday, also against Rajasthan, after a long recovery from a lower-back stress injury. Josh Hazlewood, meanwhile, has resumed full training in Perth.
Cricket Australia’s high-performance staff, already mapping out 20 Test matches between August 2026 and August 2027 – plus a potential World Test Championship final and an ODI World Cup – are understandably relieved. One official put it in plain terms: “We need our best bowlers available. The calendar is brutal.”
For Delhi, though, the immediate equation is simpler. Stick Starc’s left arm over the wicket, let him find rhythm, and hope it translates into early-May wickets at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
