‘I’m not someone like James Anderson who played until he was 40-odd’— Mitchell Starc on extending his international career across types

Like James Anderson, who resigned from international cricket at the age of 41, Mitchell Starc gave an explanation for why he will not be able to play in his 40s. The Australian pacer has never shied away from representing his nation and has made only sporadic appearances in franchise competitions.

Despite having nearly every victory in his international cricket career, Starc is always driven for more. His sights are set on major competitions like the Ashes, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and the Champions Trophy. The left-arm bowler declared that his first priority is still playing Test cricket and disclosed that he does not currently have any plans to retire from any format. The 34-year-old, however, voiced his worries about the demanding schedule of contemporary cricket, claiming that it was having a negative impact on his health.

“I’ve had the great fortune to play three different formats for a very long time. I’m not sure how long that will last. Finding blocks of time to spend time on my body is going to take away from others, and arranging three forms is getting tougher and harder,” Starc told The Sydney Morning Herald.

“For me, tests remain the ultimate goal, and when the time comes, I believe my body will have an influence on that choice. I’m not like Jimmy, who played until he was over forty and possessed amazing ability to swing it both ways. There are many better bowlers in the nation who could occupy that position; I’ve never been that kind of bowler. I haven’t given anything an expiration date just yet because I’m really looking forward to this summer,” he continued.

Mitchell Starc compares the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to the Ashes, saying that “the level of competitiveness between both trophies is on par.”

Australia and England’s rivalry is without a doubt the most well-known in Test cricket. From 2017 to 2018, Australia has maintained a firm grip on the coveted Ashes urn. But with the Asian team’s recent supremacy, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which pits Australia against India, has also grown in prominence in the world of cricket.

According to Starc, there is equal competition between the Ashes and the BGT. Later this year, India will travel to Australia to defend the BGT title. The Sydney native thinks the five-game series will be fiercely competitive.

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“It’s comparable to an Ashes series being extended to five Test matches.” Though it hasn’t been around as long as the Ashes, I believe the Border-Gavaskar and the Ashes are equally competitive. There will be some spice because we’re now top two in the Test table,” Starc said.