Australian paceman Mitchell Starc has urged curators to prepare bowler-friendly pitches for the upcoming Ashes, warning against flattening the surfaces to maximize five-day returns as England’s aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach looms.
The veteran left-arm paceman said sporting conditions must take precedence over financial considerations as Cricket Australia heads into a successful summer with 13 of the 25 available match days already sold out and record crowds expected across the grounds. Starc was clear that the pursuit of revenue should not dictate how pitches are prepared.
“Hopefully the grounders will stick to their guns and take the wickets they want,” Starc said. “If we’re worried about five days of revenue, then there are bigger problems at hand.”
The 35-year-old, who recently took four wickets for New South Wales at the subdued Sydney Cricket Ground, believes surfaces that help the bowlers are crucial to keeping the game balanced, especially against England’s ‘Bazball’ style of attack.
“Yeah, no doubt, especially when they’re pretty tame wickets like this one,” Starc said. “We know how they are trying to play their cricket. We will worry about that next week.”
Starc’s comments come amid an ongoing debate in Australian cricket over the quality of Test pitches. In recent years, administrators have sought to ensure that matches stretch into a fifth day, a move often tied to ticket sales and broadcast commitments. However, Starc believes this approach undermines the competitive nature of the format.
Australia’s players would like to see “greener and livelier” pitches that could test England’s fearless batting line-up. His remarks also referred to last summer’s SCG Test, which offered pace and movement and produced a result in eight sessions as Australia beat India.
“We know how they try to play their cricket, so we’ll worry about that next week,” Starc reiterated, suggesting Australia would be ready for England’s aggression if the surfaces supported a fair contest between bat and ball.
The difference between sporting and commercial priorities has become increasingly apparent in recent years. Only six of Australia’s last 16 home Tests have reached day five, with two affected by rain, while several others have ended within three days. Critics argue that flatter pitches are made to lengthen games, but players like Starc, Steve Smith and Travis Head are pushing for tougher conditions.
Their attitude reflects a wider sentiment in the Australian camp that the best Test cricket is played when both batsmen and bowlers are rewarded for skill and discipline. In the previous home summer, Australia won the series 3-1 over India on pitches that offered a close contest.
Starc, who has left T20 internationals to focus on red-ball cricket, said he was happy with his rhythm and preparation ahead of the Ashes opener in Perth on November 21.
“I think the break was a good thing, but I’m just someone who keeps bowling continuously,” the 35-year-old said. “I was just talking to (head coach) Ronnie (Andrew McDonald) then, I think I got it sorted and now it’s just starting the engine again.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
November 11, 2025
