'I just didn’t think that was overly smart' - Simon Doull criticizes Mitchell Starc for wicketkeeping during warm-up before AUS-BAN CWC 2023 tie

Australia and Bangladesh are currently playing match 43 of the ODI World Cup 2023 in Pune, on Saturday, November 11. Ahead of the game, Mitchell Starc donned the wicketkeeping gloves and kept to his fellow pacers.

It is interesting to note that Starc was a wicketkeeper in his younger days before becoming a fast bowler. He is also married to Australian women's team wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy. While fans liked seeing the fearsome left-arm pacer in a new role, cricketer-turned-commentator Simon Doull wasn't impressed as he felt that Starc could have suffered a finger injury and his participation in the remainder of the tournament could have been jeopardised.

“I know he’s probably getting keeping lessons at home from Alyssa Healy. He was actually wicketkeeping this morning to the quick bowlers, and I thought, ‘That is fraught with danger’. You’ve got a couple of games left in the World Cup, and you’ve got the gloves on wicketkeeping to the quicks. If you get one on the finger, I just didn’t think that was overly smart," Doull said while commentating on air.

“Not that I watch your forehead closely, but I saw it crinkle up, with one eyebrow raised. You’re having the day off, the last thing you want to do is break a finger," Australian legend Matthew Hayden added.

Mitchell Starc has struggled in ODI World Cup 2023

Notably, Mitchell Starc was rested for the game against Bangladesh, as Australia are already in the semi-finals of the marquee event. Starc had a special love story with the ODI World Cups. In the 2015 edition, he picked up 22 wickets in eight games at a remarkable average of 10.18. Only Trent Boult picked up the same number of wickets in that edition of the tournament, but he played one game extra.

In the 2019 World Cup, Starc was the best bowler of the tournament by a distance. He picked up 27 wickets in 10 matches at 18.59. Lockie Ferguson was the second-highest wicket-taker with 21 scalps in nine games. Starc was expected to work his magic in the ongoing edition of the ODI World Cup 2023 but he has been far from his best.

The 33-year-old has played eight games and picked up 10 wickets at 43.90. He has been expensive and his economy rate of 6.55 accentuates the same. His strike rate of 40.20 in the tournament is way higher than his career strike rate of 26.61 in ODI cricket. A champion player like Starc would be eager to bounce back in the knockouts.

Also Check: Most Wickets in ODI World Cup 2023