Mitchell Starc on career focus
Mitchell Starc said he wanted to “milk” his body for more Test cricket after retiring from T20Is to prolong his career.
Australia’s senior fast bowler Mitchell Starc, at 35, has made it clear that his focus will remain on Test and ODI cricket after retiring from T20Is. Starc said he is ready to “milk” his body to achieve more success in the longest format of the game.
The left-arm pacer announced his T20I retirement to concentrate on key upcoming assignments, including the Ashes, IPL, a Test series in India, and the 2027 ODI World Cup. This decision means he will skip next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
“For lack of a better term, I want to milk my body as much as I can for as much Test cricket as possible. That was never going to be off the table,” Starc told cricket.com.au.
“I just felt like one of the other formats had to give. I feel like I’ve got plenty to offer the ODI team, and with that goal of getting my body to 2027, but also being good enough to be in that team for the World Cup in 2027. I felt like this was my best opportunity to prolong my Test career and get to that World Cup (in 2027).”
Starc, who played a key role in Australia’s maiden T20 World Cup triumph in 2021, admitted it was not easy to choose which format to give up.
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“I umm-ed and ahh-ed about which was the right format to put to the side. If I wasn’t going to be in the frame for 2027, then I didn’t want to hold up the spot. I still feel like I’ve got plenty to offer that ODI team. I’d thought about it for a while. I feel like it was probably a good time. I’m 35 now, Tests have always been my priority and they will remain my priority,” he said.
If Starc continues till the 2027 World Cup in South Africa, he could finish as one of the greatest bowlers in ODI World Cup history. With 65 wickets across three editions (2015, 2019, 2023), he is already behind only Glenn McGrath (71) and Muttiah Muralitharan (68). Starc said he was confident about stepping away from T20Is, with several bowlers in line to carry the team forward.
“The T20 team seems pretty settled with the guys that have come in; they’ve done some great stuff. Nathan Ellis is flying, Ben Dwarshuis has played a great role, Spencer (Johnson) has done some good stuff when he’s played, Sean Abbott as well… I feel like that team is in a great spot and I don’t need to interrupt that,” he said.
He is now preparing for Australia’s three-match home ODI series against India and is open to a Sheffield Shield appearance before the Ashes. “The three one-dayers (against India) are a nice, controlled lead-in to five Test matches, 10 overs a game, time on the legs, they’re not a day after each other. Some Shield games can be added to that schedule. (But) I think it’s important not to have a concrete way of thinking,” he said. At times we haven’t had time for a Shield game before (Test) summers, at times we’ve had time for one or two. But I’ve enjoyed them in the past and will probably look to play one this year,” Starc added.
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Last Updated on September 6, 2025
