Frustrated Mitchell Starc focussed on the bigger picture

Starc is chasing a 19-year-old record

Australia's Mitchell Starc may just be returning from injury but he is ready to etch his name into the record-books as the fastest bowler to 100 ODI wickets, reports cricket.com.au. The left-arm fast bowler has just played two of Australia's four games in the ongoing tri-series but is expected to feature in the next game against South Africa.

Despite playing in only his first international series of the year, the 26-year-old has picked up five wickets in his two matches but the two he hasn't played in has resulted in defeats for his side.

"It's part of the plan unfortunately," he said speaking about his stop-start return. "Being fit this time around and watching from the side can be a little bit frustrating. But I've got to look at the bigger picture and there's a lot to come in the next six months so I'll stick by the plan and stick by what the medicos tell me to do.

He even admitted that  he has struggled to find his rhythm as a result, but added: "I don't have too much say in it. I want to play every game. Being in one game and being out the next ... it's very different bowling in the nets compared to out in the middle.

"I'm in the same boat as Josh (Hazlewood) in that I'd love to play every game just to have that rhythm and consistent cricket and I think that's something I did over the past 12 months before I got injured. I was playing consistently and it was showing in my performances."

Starc is looking at the bigger picture

Despite his current schedule of games, Starc is happy to concede that the bigger picture comes first before any personal quibbles.

"The bigger picture (is) we have three Tests against Sri Lanka, a one-day series that follows that, a one-day series in South Africa and then we've got the home summer.

"It's feeling really good but I've just got to manage that at this point in time. That's for the medicos to do and me to sit back, unfortunately."

While this might be the first time that he is bowling pain free in nearly 12 months, he understands the need to rest, recuperate and maintain a proper workload. But that isn't stopping him from getting frustrated at not playing.

"I'm getting used to being told what to do," he said with a smile.

"It'd be really nice to play every single game, but the sheer amount of cricket we play these days, if you play every game you're going to break down at some point so you have to be a little bit smarter about it.

"At the moment I'm feeling really good, I'm feeling strong and ready to go at every point. It's about me getting right for the next game and if that involves playing, that's lovely. But if it means I have to rest or sit out here and there, I'll have to cop that on the chin as well.

"It's about finding that happy medium where you're not bowling yourself into the ground and you're injured every 12 months, but at the same time you want to keep that rhythm and be fresh enough to play as much as you can."