Mitchell Starc is all set to become only the second Australian fast bowler after Glenn McGrath to play 100 Test matches. The left-arm pacer will reach this major milestone in the third Test against West Indies on Sunday, 13 July 2025. Known for his express pace and match-winning spells, Starc has become one of Australia’s most reliable red-ball bowlers, with 395 wickets at an economy of 3.42.
Although his early career was plagued by injuries — including issues with his back, knee, ankle, calf, foot, and shin — Starc has not missed a Test due to injury since early 2023. He has often skipped IPL seasons to manage his workload and maintain peak fitness for national duty.
“I Didn’t Think I’d Play One (Test)” Says Starc
In an interview with cricket.com.au, Starc opened up about the journey behind his longevity: “I’ve looked after or tried to look after my body and be able to find ways through pain barriers to make an impact for the team,” Starc said. “I’vebeen a player that’s been injured and left them a man down before and I never wanted to do that again. So to find ways when things weren’t going well, or things were sore, or if I was carrying something, to still be able to push through and finish games and still be impactful, was part of it. But I’vealso had a lot of help along the way, with trainers and physios and my best mates being teammates, all helped me to keep playing and wanting to compete and still be a part of the group.”
Starc admitted that even reaching one Test match seemed unlikely at the start of his career: “I didn’t think I’d play one (Test),” he said. “(It’s) pretty humbling to play that much. A huge honour, probably something more to reflect on when I’mfinished.”
Reflecting on the elite group of Australian pacers he’s joining, Starc added: “Anytime you’re mentioned alongside some of those names, like Glenn (and) I’ve been fortunate enough to play with Mitchell Johnson (73 Tests), ‘Sidds’ (Peter Siddle, 67 Tests) and ‘Rhino’ (Ryan Harris, 27 Tests) and to have a bit of relationship with Brett (Lee, 76 Tests), I’ve been very lucky through cricket to meet those guys and then play alongside or learn different pieces from them.”
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