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Australian cricket legend Ian Healy has voiced concerns about Mitchell Starc‘s form leading up to the semi-final clash against South Africa in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023. Starc, who was the leading wicket-taker in the previous two World Cups, has experienced a dip in performance during the current tournament.
Dip in the form of Mitchell Starc
Starc, known for his exceptional bowling, has struggled to replicate his past World Cup success in the ongoing CWC 2023. In the previous two editions (2015 and 2019), he emerged as the leading wicket-taker. However, in the current tournament, the 33-year-old has managed only 10 wickets across eight matches, with an average of 43.90 and an economy rate of 6.55. This performance falls below the high standards set by the left-arm pacer in earlier World Cups.
Ian Healy expresses concerns over Starc’s poor form
Healy has questioned whether Starc remains a potent force, expressing his disappointment with Starc’s underwhelming campaign. He emphasized the need for Starc to focus more on zeroing in on the stumps, suggesting that the left-arm pacer needs to rediscover his accuracy and effectiveness.
“Is (Starc) still a potent force? He’s not been potent at all in this tournament. 10 wickets off eight games is not bad but where is he taking these wickets? He won’t be potent at all until he gets it right and zero in on the stumps much better than he has. Fire into those stumps and feet,” Healy was quoted as saying by the India Today.
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Rest to Starc: A strategic move ahead of the semi-final battle against South Africa
Starc was rested for the final league game against Bangladesh, and Healy speculated that the team management made this decision to reignite the New South Wales-born cricketer’s form and readiness for the crucial semi-final clash at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday, November 16.
“He needs to be much, much better. That’s why they rested him. Just to try and fire him up. He is a long way off his previous (best),” the 59-year-old concluded.
Australia’s previous encounter with South Africa
In the earlier encounter between Australia and South Africa in the ongoing global-showpiece event, a lackluster bowling and fielding display by Australia allowed South Africa to amass 311 runs. The Aussies faced challenges in chasing the target, ultimately losing by a substantial margin of 134 runs.
