Australian pacer Mitchell Starc is considering to put his name up for the upcoming mega-auction of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Starc intends to return to the cash-rich league for the first time since 2015, when he played for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
Speaking ahead of the fifth Ashes Test in Hobart, Starc revealed he was ready with all the paperwork and planning to make a final call regarding entering the IPL mega auction.
“I’ve got two days to get my paperwork in, so that might be something I do today before training. I’ve not put my name down just yet, but I’ve got a couple more days to decide on that. It’s certainly on the table, regardless of the schedule coming up. I haven’t been for six years or so,” Starc told cricket.com.au.
“With obviously a heavy weighting towards T20s over the last period of time and the World Cup coming up later this year, that’s one to take into consideration,” he added.
In the 2015 season, Starc played as many as 27 matches and picked up 34 wickets for RCB at a strike rate of 17 and an economy rate of 7.16. Despite being one of the most valuable T20 bowlers in the world, Starc has chosen not to play IPL and decided to use that April-May period window to rest and spend time with his family.
Regarding the workload, Starc will have to again manage as Australia have a three-match ODI series and one-off T20I at home against New Zealand, which ends in the second week of February. After the New Zealand series, Australia shall host Sri Lanka for the five-match T20I leg from February 11 to 20. Then, Australia will tour Pakistan in late February ahead of three Tests in March, followed by as many ODIs and one T20I finishing in the first week of April.
Notably, the IPL has expanded to a 10-team competition in 2022, with each side is set to play 18 league games plus the playoffs.
