Mitchell Starc set to return in IPL after 9 years to prepare for T20 World Cup

Mitchell Starc, the fast Australian bowler, has said that he wants to play in the Indian Premier League again before the T20 World Cup in 2024. Starc hasn't played in the IPL since 2015, when he quit on his own to focus on playing for Australia and spending time with his family.

Starc did go up for auction in 2018, and Kolkata Knight Riders bought him for a huge Rs 9.40 crore. However, the fast bowler had to pull out of the event because of a back injury.

The pacer talked about how he might come back and said it would be a great chance to train for the T20 World Cup, which starts right after the IPL.

Starc told the Willow Talk cricket show, "I'm going back for sure next year."

"It's a great way to get ready for the T20 World Cup, among other things. So it's a good chance to find out if anyone is interested in the IPL and then move on to the T20 World Cup. And compared to this winter, next winter isn't as busy, so I think it's the best time to put my name in the hat," Starc said.

Since a few years ago, the fast bowler has put his family second to his tasks for his country. Starc took key wickets in the final of the World Test Championship 2023, which helped Australia win their first title.

The fast bowler said that he wants to play 100 Tests for Australia and has made that his main goal. "It took me a long time to feel like I was good enough to play Test cricket," he said.

"So I really want to give that the biggest chance I have. White-ball cricket has been a lot of fun for me, and it's probably where I've had the most chances to play. I want to be good enough to get to 100 Tests. Not just get to 100, but also be good enough to be picked for 100 Tests," he added.

Australia has a good group of fast bowlers, but Pat Cummins, Josh Hazelwood, and Mitchell Starc have kept them from getting regular playing time. The pacer said that he hasn't thought about what he will do after the 2023 ODI World Cup.

"And then you look at the one-day version. There are about four years between World Cups, so where do I see myself in that mix? But I have to wait until the World Cup is over first.

But we have some big stars coming up. You have your Sean Abbotts, your Jhye Richardsons, and your Spencer Johnsons. A lot of young men are coming through. Morris is going to be a gun, according to Lance. Starc said, "I try not to think too far ahead about anything."