Australia pace spearhead Mitchell Starc has brushed aside talk of records, saying milestones only matter in hindsight and not while a player is still active. The left-arm quick is now just one wicket away from equalling Kapil Dev on the all-time Test wicket-takers list, but he says the achievement is more humbling than motivating as he continues to focus on Australia’s immediate goals.
Starc has taken 433 wickets in 105 Tests, leaving him one short of Kapil Dev’s 434. He could move past both the former India captain and Dale Steyn, who finished his Test career with 439 wickets, during Australia’s upcoming two-Test series against Bangladesh starting on August 13.
Speaking to the Australian Associated Press, Starc said he is grateful to be mentioned alongside legends of the game but is not allowing statistics to dominate his thoughts. “It means I have played a bit. It’s cool and very humbling to be spoken about with those guys. But that stuff does not mean a whole lot while you are still playing. You don’t get too far ahead,” Mitchell Starc said.
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The 36-year-old has also been the leading wicket-taker in the current World Test Championship cycle with 46 wickets in just eight matches, underlining his continued value to the Australian Test attack. Among Australian bowlers, only Shane Warne, Nathan Lyon, and Glenn McGrath have taken more Test wickets than Starc.
Despite his long career, Mitchell Starc believes he has continued to improve with experience. He pointed to the discipline required to stay at the top level for 16 years and said constant learning has helped him remain effective in international cricket.
“When you are 36 and you have been around for 16 years, you would like to think you have improved or got better at something. You are also around that long because you can develop and learn and improve,” he added.
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Starc has also focused heavily on keeping his body in peak condition to meet the demands of international cricket. Although he featured in this year’s IPL, he has not played a competitive match since then. Australia will open the Bangladesh series in Darwin on August 13, before the second Test begins in Mackay on August 22.
