India vs Australia 2017: Mitchell Starc ruled out of remaining two Tests because of a stress fracture
Australian speedster Mitchell Starc has been ruled out of the rest of the Border-Gavaskar owing to a stress fracture on his right foot. The 27-year-old pacer was critical to his side’s chances during the win in the Pune Test which they won by a massive margin of 333 runs, making a match-turning half-century that shifted the momentum in his side’s favour.
In the second Test in Bengaluru, he derailed India’s run flow significantly by removing both Ajinkya Rahane and Karun Nair off successive deliveries to peg the hosts back and ensure they didn’t get a big lead in their second innings.
"Mitchell experienced some pain in his right foot during the second Test in Bangalore which unfortunately had not subsided a few days after the Test as we had hoped.
“We made the decision to scan his foot in Bangalore this morning and unfortunately it has revealed a stress fracture.Subsequently, this means Mitchell will be unavailable for the remainder of the tour of India and will return home to Australia to start his rehabilitation,” the team physio David Beakley said.
Extra Cover: Injured Mitchell Starc reveals details about his leg injury
This is not the first time that the left-arm pacer has suffered a stress fracture on his right foot. He had endured the same injury albeit in a different area on the foot during the historic Day-Night Test against New Zealand in Adelaide in 2015 and was also on crutches post that.
His replacement is not yet announced. Some of the names that spring to mind are the likes of Pat Cummins, James Pattinson, who could provide the Aussies with a similar kind of pace as Starc.
Starc is the second Australian cricketer to be ruled out of the Ranchi and Dharamshala Tests after Mitchell Marsh was sidelined because of a shoulder injury. Marcus Stoinis was roped in as his replacement.