Australia’s pace ace Mitchell Starc experienced a minor injury on Day 3 of the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25. Fellow fast bowler Scott Boland has shared insights on Starc’s chances of continuing to bowl in the remainder of the match against India in Melbourne.
Starc appeared to experience discomfort in his back while delivering the 21st over. However, after a rain delay, he returned to bowl at high speeds in the 130s, easing concerns over his condition.
During the post-day press conference, Boland highlighted Starc’s resilience, referencing his performance two years ago at the same venue when he bowled effectively despite a broken finger. The 35-year-old remarked that Starc reaching speeds of over 140 km/h after the break suggests he should be fit to continue.
Boland as quoted by Fox Cricket:
“He’s okay. He just had a bit of a niggle somewhere in his back or rib, I don’t know, somewhere back there, but he came out after the break and was bowling 140km/h, so I think he’s going to be fine.”
“I think he is underrated for how tough he is. A couple of years ago here at the MCG, he had a broken finger and we’re pretty much planning for him not to bowl at all and then he came out and bowled 140km/h swingers.”
“He has nearly 90 Test matches under his belt now”- Scott Boland on Mitchell Starc
Boland explained that the 34-year-old Mitchell Starc possesses the ability to deliver strong performances even while enduring significant pain. He further added:
“He’s someone who can play through a lot of pain, and you can probably tell (that because) he’s played close to 90 Test matches now. And as a fast bowler, there’s not many games where you do play without any niggle at all. He’s someone who can still bowl at the same pace even when he is really sore, which is a great trait to have.”
Despite Nitish Reddy’s resilient unbeaten century, the hosts maintain a 116-run lead in the first innings with two days remaining in the match.
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