Mitchell Starc made a brilliant comeback for Delhi Capitals in the ongoing IPL 2026. In his first match of this edition of the tournament, the 35-year-old Australian star fast bowler took 3 wickets against Rajasthan Royals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Friday night.
Despite his impressive presence, concerns remain as there was immense strain on his bowling arm, raising concerns over his fitness status and longevity as a professional cricketer.
Mitchell Starc considering retirement soon?
After the match, Starc was asked about his possible retirement plans. Delhi Capitals’ premiership showed that it was not a pleasant moment for them as they struggled to get back into form. Before returning to competitive games, the seamer spent a few months off the field to recover from injuries and work on fitness.
However, despite several months of hard work, he is happy to be back on the field again. The left-arm fast bowler himself knows that his first appearance of the season was impressive. Therefore, there is no way that he will consider retirement in the near future.
Mitchell Starc said after the RR vs DC IPL 2026 match, “There are a few things. I think we would laugh if you have packed three things and are thinking about retirement, but I am not there yet. But no, it is what it is. This is cricket life and the life of the world. We move on.”
Mitchell Starc got his first IPL 2026 wicket in the very first over against RR
RR batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal welcomed the bowler with a Big G, but Starc gave a sharp reply before dismissing the Rajasthan Royals opener. Mitchell Starc’s high full toss dismissed Jaiswal on the third ball of the first over of the match. Later, he took on the DC seamer and took the wickets of RR skipper Riyan Parag and veteran Ravindra Jadeja who scored 90 runs. Mitchell Starc took 3 wickets for 40 runs in his 4 over spell.
Starc told the broadcaster after the match, “It’s good to get some nets out and get back into the pace of the game. I think I was good with some running in the legs, but it’s good to get back with the guys, get some training and then obviously get a win tonight. So, yeah, it’s good to be back. I’ve been bowling a bit for a few weeks, just trying to get my elbow in the right position so I can manage the movement.”
| Mitchell Starc (RR vs DC, IPL 2026) | |||||||
| over | virgin | it goes | Wicket | economy | Dots | wide | no balls |
| 4 | 0 | 40 | 3 | 10 | 12 | 3 | 0 |
DC fast bowlers looked full of confidence after the match
Starc further told that this was his first match in three months. That’s why he himself was excited to return. At the end of the day, as he ticked most of the boxes, he looked more confident than before.
“I hadn’t bowled to a batsman for three months until tonight. So, it’s like getting back into that pace very quickly. I’ve been playing cricket for a while, so in terms of ticking the boxes with skill, I felt I was in a position to do most of what I wanted. Tonight was a good reminder of some of the things that make the game. I think I’ll be better off running on the legs for 20 overs, and then now I’m in my part of the tournament.” I am coming,” he said.
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