IND vs AUS 2023: I’ll do everything I can to be fully available for selection – Mitchell Starc

Australia’s gun fast bowler Mitchell Starc is hopeful to be match-fit for the second Test match against India in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series. Starc however is not certain if he will be able to play after recovering from a finger injury.

The left-arm fast bowler’s services were deeply missed by Australia in the first Test match at Nagpur, which they lost by an innings and 132 runs. Starc had suffered a finger injury while fielding off his own bowling in the Test match against South Africa in December.

The lanky paceman had stayed in Sydney and joined his teammates in Delhi on Tuesday. Australia had played two fast bowlers in Pat Cummins and Scott Boland in the first Test match while Cameron Green had also missed the game due to a finger injury.

“I’d like to be a little further down the road,” Starc said in Delhi on Wednesday.

“Still a good chance so it’ll come down to how it reacts by the end of (Wednesday), how the medical staff see it, how the selectors and Pat (Cummins) and Ronnie (coach Andrew McDonald) feel about it as well.

Starc admitted that batting wouldn’t be an issue but he still doesn’t have the full strength in his bowling due to the injured finger.

“I’ll do everything I can to be fully available for selection, then it’s a discussion for the rest of the group involved. I don’t think (batting will be an issue) so it’s going to be uncomfortable but I don’t think it’s an issue,” he said.

“I think I’ll still field with a cap on (the finger), that’s what I did in Melbourne (after he initially broke the finger)…I don’t field myself in slip anyway. Obviously, a challenge of a week but we move onto the second Test and it presents a new challenge,” Starc added.

“I’m not sure we’ll see conditions change too much from last week with how the guys have discussed it.

“I think judging on the last couple of days the wickets out the back are similar in many ways to what the center is.”

Starc is going to hold the key for Australia as he brings a left-arm action to the fray. Furthermore, Starc will create footmarks with his follow-through, which can be utilized by Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy.

The second Test match will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi from Friday.