Mitchell Starc needed only four overs to remind the IPL why he remains such a prized left-arm quick. Turning out for Delhi Capitals after a month on the sidelines with shoulder and elbow niggles, the Australian took 3 for 40 against Rajasthan Royals and, in the process, reassured team-mates and critics alike that the pace—and the competitive edge—are intact.
“It was pleasing. The last over went for a few runs, otherwise the figures would have been a lot better,” Ian Bishop observed on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut. “I had a question in my own mind: what sort of form will he come into this after that protracted break that he had, but he’s brought some firepower with him.”
Those early doubts had seemed justified when Yashasvi Jaiswal deposited Starc’s first ball over the rope. Two deliveries later, though, the left-hander was gone—undone by what Bishop called “the old high full toss”, a rare legal beamer that dipped sharply. Starc’s next spell proved decisive: he returned for the 17th, zipped out Ravindra Jadeja for 20, then had the in-form Riyan Parag edging behind on 90. Even with 14 conceded in the 20th, Capitals could finally claim a death-overs specialist to partner the dependable Lungi Ngidi.
“I am happy with that from DC’s point of view. They needed that,” Bishop added. “With Lungi and Starc playing together in future matches, it will form a nice thing with two overseas batters and two overseas seam bowlers.”
Ambati Rayudu noticed subtler signs of Starc’s fitness and intent. “More than his bowling, there was a moment in the game that showed me that he is really ready,” Rayudu said. “He had a diving stop at point, which shows that his body is good and he is feeling good about himself and he is ready for the challenge. … He wants to prove a point.”
Capitals certainly looked sharper in the field, yet it was Kyle Jamieson who produced the day’s quiet master-stroke. The tall New Zealander yorked Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for just 4, cutting short the teenager’s much-anticipated duel with Starc. Sooryavanshi, 15, had already taken Jasprit Bumrah and Pat Cummins for first-ball sixes this season; Jamieson was having none of it.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been so fearful of a 15-year-old kid in my life,” Jamieson told IPLT20.com, a wry grin breaking the admission. “But yeah, we obviously did a bit of planning leading into the game and it was just nice that it played off. For most teams looking at Rajasthan’s side, it’s their top two especially who’ve got them off to fliers. And Starcy got one [wicket of Jaiswal] with the old high full toss and I got… well, the yorker worked.”
The fast bowler’s animated celebration said as much about relief as exhilaration; early wickets in the powerplay have been Delhi’s weakness. By removing both openers inside three overs, the visitors turned a usually free-scoring Royals line-up into one overly reliant on Parag.
Tactically, Capitals kept things simpler than in previous outings. Captain Rishabh Pant resisted the urge to shuffle bowlers after each boundary, backing Starc’s pace and Jamieson’s bounce to do the heavy lifting. Field placements were orthodox too—third man finer, point straighter—reflecting the side’s desire to cut angles rather than gamble on funky lines.
There remains room for polish. Starc’s final over still leaked, and Parag’s 90 off 49 exposed a familiar middle-overs squeeze. The batting, meanwhile, has lacked a consistent anchor beyond David Warner. Even so, Delhi’s dressing-room will take heart from having its premier overseas recruit not just on the park but roaring.
For Rajasthan, the concern is how quickly opponents appear to be mapping out Sooryavanshi. The youngster’s bat speed is elite, yet experienced quicks are closing the margins: fuller, straighter, yorker length—nothing in his preferred arc over mid-wicket. A response will be fascinating to watch.
In the longer view, Starc’s return also nudges the conversation towards Australia’s T20 World Cup build-up later this year. If the left-armer strings together a month of fit, hostile spells on the two-paced Indian surfaces, selectors may worry a little less about his intermittent white-ball workload.
For now, Delhi have two points and, perhaps more importantly, belief that their season can stretch beyond the league phase. Starc gave them the firepower; Jamieson delivered the early strike; the rest of the squad, one suspects, will feel the lift.
“It is good for such a big cricketer to really be in the game,” Rayudu said. “He wants to prove a point.”
