Mitchell Starc serves notice on return, laughs off retirement talk: 'If you had three things strapped on'

Mitchell Starc spoke with visible relief after finally getting through a full outing for Delhi Capitals where he claimed three wickets.

Delhi Capitals’ premier pacer Mitchell Starc was pleased to make an immediate impact on his return, delivering a strong spell in his first appearance of the season. The left-arm quick, who had missed more than half of the campaign due to injury, returned against Rajasthan Royals and immediately found himself in the thick of the action. He was greeted with a six off the very first ball he bowled but responded sharply just a couple of deliveries later by removing Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had earlier taken him downtown. The wicket lifted his rhythm, and the Australian pacer looked in good control thereafter, troubling the Rajasthan batting order with pace and discipline. His spell proved vital as Delhi Capitals secured a crucial win over RR, getting their campaign back on track at an important stage of the tournament. Starc’s return gives DC a major boost heading into the business end of the season.

Mitchell Starc claimed three wickets on his return to IPL. (REUTERS)

Starc spoke with visible relief after finally getting through a full outing for Delhi Capitals. The left-arm pacer, who had spent weeks working his way back to full rhythm, reflected on the challenge of rediscovering match intensity and settling back into the demands of top-level cricket.

“It's nice to get some cobwebs out, get back to the speed of the game. I think I was good to get some running in the legs, but nice to be back around the guys, get some training in, and then obviously get the win tonight. So, yeah, nice to return. I've been bowling a little bit for a period of weeks, just trying to position my elbow so I can manage the movement," Starc told the broadcasters after the match.

“Hadn't bowled to a batter for three months”

Starc spoke after his return to competitive action, admitting it took time to adjust back to facing batters at full intensity. The left-arm pacer said the outing helped him find rhythm again, while also noting the steady build-up he has followed in recent weeks, managing his recovery.

"I hadn't bowled to a batter for three months until tonight. So, it's sort of getting back to that speed pretty quickly. I was playing cricket for a while, so in terms of ticking the boxes with skills, I felt I was in a position to do most of what I wanted. Tonight was a good reminder of a few things that make the game. I think I'll be better for the run in the legs for 20 overs, and then now I get into my portion of the tournament," he added.

Starc brushed off concerns around the strapping on his arm and other niggles with a light-hearted response, keeping the tone relaxed despite questions about his fitness. The left-arm pacer underlined that such things are part of the routine in professional cricket and not a cause for alarm as he continues to move forward in his comeback.

"There's a couple of things. I think we'd laugh if you had three things strapped on and were thinking about retirement, but I'm not quite there yet. But no, it is what it is. It's the cricket life and the world's life. We move on," he concluded.