Will Mitchell Starc miss Sydney Test against India? Coach answers
Australian cricket team's head coach, Andrew McDonald, sounds optimistic about pacer Mitchell Starc's participation in the upcoming fifth Test against India, scheduled to start on January 3 in Sydney. This comes after Starc suffered an upper-body injury during Australia's successful Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where they won by 184 runs against India. Starc, Australia's premier left-arm pacer, seemed to have stiffness in his back while bowling in Melbourne.
Starc's injury surfaced during Melbourne Test
Starc's injury came to the fore on Day 3 of the Melbourne Test. He was seen holding his back during bowling spells and left the field after stumps. Despite the setback, he fought through pain and bowled full throttle on the final day. His efforts helped Australia defend the 330-run target and win the Boxing Day Test.
Starc's performance despite injury impresses coach McDonald
While McDonald acknowledged Starc's injury, he remained hopeful about his recovery. "Clearly, Starc is carrying something of some description. We'll assess that," he said on December 31. He also noted that despite initial discomfort during his spells, Starc looked relatively free once he warmed up and maintained good ball speeds. McDonald praised the morning session as "probably as good as we've delivered."
Australia prepare for final Test with backup players
Australia have included Sean Abbott and Jhye Richardson as backup players for their Test squad ahead of the fifth match in Sydney. Both players are likely to be available for the SCG Test, despite their commitments in the Big Bash League. The team's plan is to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which they haven't held since 2014. A win in Sydney is imperative for the same.
