Does Mitchell Starc's injury leave Australia heavily bereaved for the upcoming T20 WC?
With Mitchell Starc already ruled out of the Frank-Worrell trophy against the West Indies, Australian selectors would be brooding over the replacement choices, with many new names in the fore, to send a relatively strong outfit to the sub-continent.
Starc’s injury, soon after Mitchell Johnson’s retirement has left the Australian pace battery, somewhat crippled, with a great pool of youngsters hoping it to make to the international scene.
Starc, who has long suffered from ankle niggles decided to call for an operation soon after his foot was injured in the recently concluded Test series against New Zealand to permanently settle the problem.
Australia, however, have presently got the benefit of the draw, having to play against a depleted Windies. But with the T20 World Cup looming large, they would hope their young guns shine loftily so as to secure their slots in the national team set-up for the mega-event.
A side hit by the retirements of many old-guards, most namely Shane Watson, Mitchell Johnson and Brad Haddin, Australia is now very much a team in transition. Their bowling link in the absence of Starc and Johnson, looks battered with latest news even confirming Patrick Cummins to be also out of the tournament.
So that basically leaves the selectors with Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Counter-Nile in their list with perhaps James Pattinson also rolled in. However, their performances are what is going to matter, as they would have to show glimpses of their good form in the ongoing Frank-Worrell Trophy.
Pattinson and Hazlewood have played a mere eight games between them, which leaves them hugely short of playing exposure in this format, let alone be playing on the sub-continental spin-friendly tracks.
The 2010 T20 WC runners-up have lately drawn in Michael Hussey and Sriram Sridharan into their coaching set-up to guide the inexperienced troop who would be travelling to India, early March.
Will relying on spin work for the Aussies?
The fact that Australia does not possess any quality spinners in their bowling arsenal leaves their squad heavily void in the absence of their T20 specialist Mitchell Starc. Nathan Lyon is the most favourite choice Australia Cricket have in place when it comes to their spin options, with Ashton Agar and Xavier Doherty, presumably fighting for the second spinner slot.
James Muirhead of the Perth Scorchers and Adam Zampa, who represents the Melbourne Stars outfit in the Big Bash would also be itching to impress the selectors and most possibly fight for the third spinner choice if Cricket Australia decides to send three spinners for the tournament.
What is worse is that, barring Starc nobody else in Australia’s available bowling options has played the IPL or even had substantial exposure of playing on Indian turfs.
Relying heavily upon their cadet fast-bowling options would not be the way to look ahead for the selectors, and thereby, a definite portion of the onus shifts upon their spinners.
Potential all-rounders
Starc’s quality as a late-order all-rounder would sorely be missed by his side, with James Faulkner believed to be the sole all-rounder to be travelling with the team. Moreover, Starc’s strike-rate in T20s is what stands out the most, with an impressive 14.7 with just over seven in economy.
In comparison, James Faulkner has a strike rate of 17.3 with an economy striking close to eight. To add to that, he has not played T20 internationals for long and has only played half the matches Starc has played.
Faulkner’s performance in this year’s Big Bash would be closely observed as otherwise he might get replaced considering the amount of sorting the Board has to currently make.
Another bloke, who goes by the name of Marcus Stoinis is also making headlines with his first-class all-round performances and is considered to be enrolled in the squad if Faulkner fails to live up to his potential.
Stoinis bowls medium pace but averages quite high with the bat, touching forty, with nineteen fifty-plus scores in 45 outings. Though his domestic T20 record is not as healthy as per the standards with a batting average just under 20 and bowling wise an average under 30 (impressive for a part-timer) but with so many big names missing, he might get his chance with Faulkner looking vulnerable.
Though their batting looks more sorted having a heavyweight top 3 in David Warner, skipper Aaron Finch and Steven Smith with Mitchell Marsh and Matthew Wade to follow, their bowling is what ranks them as outsiders in the tournament.
There are some speculations regarding Mitchell Marsh’s selection, which means Stoinis and Faulkner could both be enrolled in the setup, but that would take note-worthy performances from the duo to get selected.
The absence of the Mitchell destroyers would surely put a lot of emphasis in the upcoming Big Bash, with selectors hoping their young guns step up.