Mitchell Starc, who was recently featured on The Willow Talk Podcast, has shared the real reason for his absence from the Champions Trophy 2025.
Initially, the left-arm seamer stated that he missed the tournament due to personal commitments. However, he later revealed that he was dealing with a minor ankle issue and emphasized that personal commitments ultimately led him to opt out of the event.
Australia faced significant challenges with the absence of key players like Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Marsh, all due to injuries. At the last moment, Mitchell Starc also decided to withdraw from the tournament which left fans confused about his sudden decision.
This mystery remains, as Starc did not elaborate on his commitments during the podcast. Instead, he focused on the importance of the World Test Championship Finals, where Australia will compete against South Africa at Lord's Stadium in London later in June.
"There's a few different reasons, some personal views, and had a bit of ankle pain through the Test series [against Sri Lanka]," Starc told the Willow Talk podcast. "So just get that one right, obviously we've got the Test final coming up and a West Indies tour after that.
He also mentioned that he is prepared for the IPL season, where he will represent the Delhi Capitals, but his primary focus is on the WTC Finals against South Africa.
"There's some IPL cricket as well, but my main one top of my mind is that Test final so get my body right, play some cricket in the next couple of months and then ready to go for the Test final."
Regarding his career milestones, Mitchell Starc has a deep love for Test cricket. He previously stated that he would consider retiring from other formats to concentrate solely on Test matches. His longevity in Test cricket, especially in the absence of injuries, can be attributed to his decision to miss many IPL and limited-overs tournaments over the years to maintain his fitness for longer formats.
This commitment keeps Starc on the verge of a significant milestone: if he plays in the WTC Finals and the following three-match Test series against the West Indies, he will reach his 100th Test match. He is also just 18 wickets away from achieving 400 wickets in Test cricket, a milestone he is likely to reach upon his return to play for Australia.
