Mitchell Starc bounces back after comeback spell (IPL Photo) Australia’s pace leader Mitchell Starc made an emphatic return to professional cricket after nearly three months on the sidelines with a performance that immediately silenced any doubts about his fitness and future.Starc returned from shoulder and elbow injuries and wasted no time in making an impact. In his very first over, the left-armer quickly struck gold, dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal and putting Rajasthan Royals on the back foot early. As the match progressed, the Australian quickly continued to assert his authority. He removed both Ravindra Jadeja and Riyan Parag in the 17th over, effectively stopping any late surge. He finished with impressive figures of 3/40, underlining his value and experience in high-pressure situations.
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Bhuvneshwar Kumar on RCB loss: ‘It was just an off day’Speaking after the match, Starc reflected on his return with a sense of relief and quiet confidence.“It’s nice to pull out some cobwebs, get back into the pace of the game. I think I was good to run my legs in a bit, but it was nice to be back with the guys, get a bit of practice and then of course get a win tonight. So yeah, I’m happy to be back. I’ve been bowling a bit for a few weeks, just trying to get my elbow in place so I can manage the movement,” Starc said.“I hadn’t looked at batting for three months until tonight. So it’s getting back up to speed quite quickly. I’ve been playing cricket for a while so in terms of ticking the skill boxes I felt I was able to do most of what I wanted to do. Tonight was a good reminder of a few things that get me into the game. I think I’ll have better legs now for 20 from the tournament,” he added.Despite the long break, he looked far from rusty. Starc has also been dealing with visible leg taping which has fueled speculation about his longevity in the game. With characteristic humor, he dismissed any talk of retirement.“There are a few things. I think we’d laugh if you had three things strapped on and you were thinking about retirement, but I’m not there yet. But no, it is what it is. It’s the life of cricket and the life of the world. Let’s move on,” he concluded.
