Delhi Capitals awaiting ‘update’ on how soon Mitchell Starc will join team: ‘No bigger bowler than him in IPL’

Delhi Capitals bowling coach Munaf Patel provided an update about Mitchell Starc's participation in IPL 2026.

Updated on: Apr 7, 2026, 18:52:01 IST

Written by Vishesh Roy

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Delhi Capitals are still awaiting an “update” about Mitchell Starc's participation in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. On Tuesday, ahead of the fixture against the Gujarat Titans at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, Delhi bowling coach Munaf Patel confirmed that the Cricket Australia physios would dictate the final call on Starc's arrival in India, and he has no update about how soon the left-arm pacer would be available to take the field for the franchise.

Mitchell Starc during the 2025 season of the IPL for Delhi Capitals. (AFP)

Ahead of the IPL 2026 season, it was confirmed that Starc would miss the initial few matches. Earlier, it was thought that his workload was being managed by Cricket Australia, keeping the international schedule in mind. However, days later, the 36-year-old confirmed that he's nursing an injury and is looking forward to joining the Delhi camp as soon as he recovers.

Also Read: Mitchell Starc fires back at critics for 'heavily misinformed opinions', makes injury revelation; issues apology to DC

Starc played all five Ashes Tests against England in December 2025-January 2026 and then a few games for the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League (BBL). However, he hasn't played any competitive cricket for almost three months.

When asked about how soon Starc will join the Delhi camp, Patel said, “There's no update right now about when he will join the camp. The Australian doctors and physios will be able to update about that.”

‘No bigger bowler than Starc’

The Delhi Capitals bowling coach was full of praise for Starc, saying there's no bigger bowler than him in the IPL, saying only Jasprit Bumrah could come close to him. He also said that not many people are talking about Starc right now, given that Delhi has won the opening two matches; however, he understands the importance of having a player like him around.

“We have won two matches, hence it seems like we are not missing Mitchell Starc. No one is missing him because we are doing well, but he has a big role to play. He is one of the best bowlers in the world. He will always be a big bowler. I don't think there is anyone bigger than him in the IPL as far as bowling is concerned. I think you can only compare Jasprit Bumrah with him,” Munaf Patel told reporters in the pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

“He has so much experience. He makes the new ball talk. We are tracking his progress. I always chat with those aware about his availability and when he will join the camp,” he added.

Delhi Capitals, under Axar Patel's leadership, won the opening two matches against the Lucknow Super Giants and the Mumbai Indians. The franchise are in the top four and have a chance of further consolidating their position in the fixture against Gujarat.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vishesh Roy
Vishesh Roy is a sports journalist with a strong focus on cricket. He began his career at Asian News International (ANI), where he covered a range of high-profile events, including the India Open, Legends Cricket League, the England–India Test series in Ahmedabad in 2021, and the inauguration of the Narendra Modi Stadium. During his tenure at ANI, he also reported extensively on domestic cricket, covering several Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy matches across the country. While cricket remains his primary beat, Vishesh has also reported on tennis, football and WWE. After a stint of over three years at ANI, Vishesh moved to NDTV, where he gained hands-on experience in digital-first journalism, with a particular emphasis on live blogs and real-time news reporting. He joined Hindustan Times in October 2024 and quickly established himself with a series of exclusive interviews and source-driven stories. Ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, Hindustan Times was the first to report that the two-day event would be held in Saudi Arabia. In the early months of his tenure, Vishesh secured interviews with leading cricketers, including Pat Cummins, Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rashid Latif. He has also closely tracked the rise of emerging talents such as Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Priyansh Arya by speaking to their current and childhood coaches. His background in on-field reporting has helped Hindustan Times Digital break exclusive stories on major developments, including Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji and Vijay Hazare Trophy, IPL scheduling, and the T20 World Cup controversy involving Bangladesh and Pakistan.Read More

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