Mitchell Starc‘s T20 game hasn’t been great in 2024. His captains, whether it be for Australia or the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), haven’t trusted him. Starc played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the first time in a decade. He was paid a record-breaking Rs 24.75 crore, but his returns were not close to justifying that number. The pacer turned out to be KKR‘s fifth-best bowler.
In the T20 World Cup 2024, he went at over 8.5 runs per over and good just 5 wickets. In what was a low-scoring tournament, the left-arm pacer returns weren’t great. Even Marcus Stoinis out-bowled him. So, when the IPL retention time came, no one expected him to be KKR’s number one pick. But wasn’t he worth Rs 12 crore?
Mitchell Starc’s T20 record in 2024
| Inns | Wkts | Balls | Runs | Avg | Econ | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | 23 | 395 | 652 | 28.34 | 8.58 | 17.17 |
Admittedly, Starc wasn’t great in the group stage, but he was a beast when KKR arrived in the Playoffs. The left-arm pacer was the ‘Player of the Match’ in both the Qualifier I and the Final, both times against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Everyone thought that playing a quarter of a billion was too much for him, but can’t the man who played a significant role in you winning a trophy be worth Rs 12 crore?
Starc’s IPL mega auction audition
KKR didn’t think so. In fact, they haven’t even communicated with Starc since the IPL 2024. So, with fire in his belly, the pacer turned up at the MCG and rocked Pakistan. A 6-over opening spell got him two wickets, Abdullah Shafique and Saim Ayub. He returned later to get Shaheen Afridi and bagged an impressive 3-fer.
Although a different format, Starc’s performance can’t be ignored. He wasn’t in good nick in ODIs this year either. With the IPL 2025 mega auction, the ODI and T20I series might make Starc one of the most sought-after bowlers once again. He wasn’t taking his T20 cricket that seriously for a little, but now at the tail end of his career, he might just become a beast in the shortest format once again.
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