Sydney: Australian team will be bolstered by the return of Mitchell Starc for the first Test against India as the senior speedster has been phenomenal in pink ball games, said his pace bowling partner Josh Hazlewood. Starc was withdrawn after the first T20I against India in Canberra last week after learning of a family illness, but Cricket Australia on Sunday has announced that the Aussie pacer was ready to return. ”I think he would be fine. Nothing goes to plan. He is a professional player and would have been doing everything he could have over the last week. He will be ready to go and jump straight in,’ Hazloood said when asked if a two-day preparation is enough.
Hazlewood said that one thing that pandemic has taught him is that nothing goes as per plan. ‘If we’ve learned anything from this (pandemic) year, that nothing goes per your plan and we’re always struggling with schedules and travel and different things. I’m sure this hiccup will be no different for him (Starc),’ he added.
With vice-captain Pat Cummins, Hazlewood, Starc and spinner Nathan Lyon, the Aussies would have full strength, even as their batting faces some question marks with injury woes to opening duo of David Warner Warner (groin) and young gun Will Pucovksi (concussion). All-rounder Cameron Green, who bats in the middle-order, too faces injury concerns after suffering concussion from a Jasprit Bumrah hit during Australia A’s tour match against the Indians in Sydney last week.
Asked about the disruptive preparation, he said: ”It’s been an unusual one. Pretty much every guy was playing soon after the IPL and we struggled in the limited overs cricket. ‘It’s been a little bit different but every International cricketer is sort of ready. We had a few days out in the middle of Adelaide Oval and still have some sessions to go before the game. We will be all ready to go and it’s been a good prep so far. Hazlewood dismissed Virat Kohli for the fourth consecutive time in ODIs this year but the pacer said he would look for a fresh start against the star Indian batsman.
‘I’ve had some luck of late in the white ball stuff. You take a little bit into the next format but I think it’s pretty much a fresh start, a different story again with the pink ball. He has obviously scored some runs last time with the red bull. ‘It’s just crucial to start well against him. I’ve got him in both the innings in one Test so it’s crucial to start well.’ India won the historic Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2018-19 and the series witnessed the Aussie bowlers lose intensity after the first two Tests.