Hunger has definitely come back: Mitchell Starc

Fit-again Mitchell Starc has stated that he is the hunger to bowl quick and take wickets has certainly returned. The left-arm Aussie pacer had missed out on the cricketing action for the previous six months courtesy of an injury. However, having been rested for the better part of six months, Starc featured in a few domestic matches, something that has served as a rehabilitation for the Tri-series.

“Coming off the end of the Ashes and the one-day stuff, I was pretty mentally fatigued and it was nice to have a little break at home through the Matador Cup (last October),” Starc told cricket.com.au on Friday (June 3).

“So having six months off, although it was through injury, was nice to refresh a little bit and go through what I have to do in terms of cricket and strength wise. It was nice to spend three or four months in the gym to get that strength back that I’d lost over 12 to 18 months of cricket.

“I think I’ve ticked all those boxes and that hunger has definitely come back a lot stronger than it was at the end of that Ashes series.”

“I feel (I am) in a good place,” he said. “I really needed those sessions (in Brisbane) to tell myself that I was ready to bowl. I had a lot of net sessions in Sydney and a lot of bowling to empty nets, so it was nice to come up to Brisbane and bowl to a few batsmen and see how it was all coming along.

Also Read: Mitchell Starc a different kind of animal with ball in hand: Allan Donald

Although Starc is widely regarded as one of the best bowlers in the world at the moment, the fact that he has been out of action for a long time has seen question marks raised. However, the 26-year old has stated that it may take a couple of games to see if he can clock the 160 Kmph mark once more.

“It might take a couple of games to see where that pace is and see if I can get that back,” he added.

“It doesn’t normally happen straight away, especially for the quicks. It’ll be interesting to gauge where that’s at, but it’s feeling good.

“I’ve had a few months of bowling under the belt, starting from a couple of steps to full tilt in Brisbane before the tour. So it’s feeling good and they’re coming out pretty nicely.”