Mitchell Starc

Mitchell Starc, following in the footsteps of great left-armers like Johnson, has been a key part of Australia’s bowling attack for years. He is one of Australia’s best all-format bowlers, becoming the second fast bowler after Glenn McGrath to play 100 Tests and the fourth Australian to take 400 Test wickets.

Though not as fast as Johnson, Starc’s height (1.96m) gives him bounce that troubles batsmen, and he has better swing control. His dominance was clear in the 2015 World Cup, where his unplayable inswingers earned him the player of the tournament with 22 wickets. He later took 27 wickets in 2019 and 16 in 2023 as Australia reclaimed the title. By the end of the 2024 T20 World Cup, he was the leading wicket-taker across all World Cups.

Starc’s Test career had ups and downs, especially early when he struggled for consistent selection. He found form in 2015 before an ankle injury ended his season. His best figures came in Galle with 11 wickets in a match during a series Australia lost 3-0. He also took 22 wickets in the 2017-18 Ashes and became a regular squad member after the 2019 Ashes. His strong performances in the 2021-22 Ashes helped Australia win, and he earned the Allan Border Medal as the country’s best male player.

From 2019 to 2022, Starc took 44 Test wickets and followed that with 55 wickets in the next cycle. He passed 300 Test wickets in 2022, surpassed Dennis Lillee’s 355 in 2024, and reached 400 wickets in 2025 during a dominant West Indies innings where he took 6 for 9, bowling them out for just 27, the second-lowest Test innings score ever.

Apart from bowling, Starc is a strong lower-order batsman who narrowly missed a Test century in 2013. He married Australia wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy in 2016.

List of Mitchell Starc Awards