Australian fast-bowler Mitchell Starc has hinted at the possibility of retiring from One Day International (ODI) cricket following his triumph in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Starc, renowned for his left-arm pace, expressed his inclination towards focusing more on franchise cricket worldwide, especially with a significant gap before the next one-day World Cup.
Starc's return to the IPL proved to be remarkable as he played a pivotal role in KKR's successful campaign, culminating in their victory over the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL 2024 final. This triumph marked KKR's third IPL title, with Starc's contributions being instrumental.
After prioritizing international commitments for years and managing his workload, Starc disclosed his contemplation of altering his cricketing priorities during a press conference following KKR's emphatic win. He emphasized the importance of taking breaks and spending time with his wife, indicating a potential shift away from ODIs.
"The last nine years, I've prioritized Australian cricket. I have given myself a chance to give my body a break and spend some time away from cricket with my wife as well, so that's certainly been where my head's been for the last nine years," Starc stated during the press conference.
Looking ahead, Starc acknowledged that he is closer to the twilight of his career and hinted at the possibility of discontinuing one format of the game. With a considerable time gap until the next one-day World Cup, he sees an opportunity to explore more opportunities in franchise cricket.
"I've thoroughly enjoyed this season," Starc remarked. "It's been great, it leads into the World Cup, that's the other side of the benefit of being here against some amazing players in an amazing tournament. It's a great lead-up to a World Cup. Next year - I don't know the schedule exactly - but I've enjoyed it, I look forward to being back next year and hopefully be seen in purple and gold [KKR's colours] again."
Considering Starc's potential withdrawal from ODIs, his participation in franchise cricket, including the IPL, could increase. Despite facing a challenging start to the season, Starc's performance improved significantly as the tournament progressed, highlighted by his match-winning spells in crucial games.
"I've played a lot of cricket, so I know how to manage myself. I haven't played a lot of T20 cricket in the last few years, so for me, it was trying to find that rhythm of [the] T20 format, and trying to stay ahead of batters," Starc concluded.
Starc Credits Experience for IPL 2024 Performance Amid Price Tag Pressure
KKR paceman Mitchell Starc credits his ability to handle the pressure of the big price tag with more experience and maturity. Having started the league stage fixtures in poor form – he leaked 100 runs in his first two matches – Starc was instrumental in KKR's progress during the playoffs. He performed so well that he took back-to-back Player of the Match awards in the playoffs for two consecutive games against SRH."I think it's been a long time since I have played in the IPL. I'm certainly an older and more experienced player now," Starc said at the post-match press conference while reflecting on the journey. "I think all jokes aside, I have been able to handle that expectation of the big price tag now that I am a bit older, a bit wiser," he added.
In the final match, too, he provided the spark that KKR needed, removing Abhishek Sharma in a fantastic way. His crucial wickets, and contributions from other bowlers like Andre Russell and Harshit Rana, meant SRH folded for just 113 runs, the lowest total in an IPL final. KKR's batters, led by the impressive 52 not out by Venkatesh Iyer, chased it down in 10.3 overs to win their second IPL crown.
"It is a great night for KKR. What a game, what a series, what a season," Starc cheered, praising the team effort throughout the series. "We have been such a consistent side. We haven't had one or two people standing out; it's been contributions from everyone."
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