‘Oh no, what have I done?’ The time I got Mitchell Starc terribly wrong
I always knew he was talented, but when he first came into the Australian team for an ODI series in India he was very mild-mannered and shy.
Opinion
January 1, 2026 — 1.45pm
January 1, 2026 — 1.45pm
I was batting against Mitchell Starc in a Big Bash game – Sydney Thunder versus the Sixers. I faced a few balls and every one of them came into me. I got a single and came down to chat to my batting partner, our star South African import Jacques Kallis.
“No worries, mate,” I said. “There’s no swing back into the right-hander. It’s just going across you.” Naturally, Starcy’s first ball to Jacques was a massive in-swinging yorker, stumps everywhere. “Oh no,” I thought. “What have I done? I’m so sorry.”
Mitchell Starc is a leading contender for man of the series.Credit: Getty Images for Cricket Australia
Jacques didn’t say anything to me and, to be honest, I don’t think it would have mattered because it was one of those unplayable deliveries that only Starcy can produce.
There are plenty of batters around the world who’d know how Jacques felt that day. Brendon McCullum, who was cleaned up by Starc in the first over of a World Cup final. Rory Burns, with the first ball of the 2021 Ashes. Zak Crawley, who edged one to slip in the first over of this series.
Jacques Kallis is bowled by Mitch Starc in the BBL in 2014. Mike Hussey looks on from the other end. Credit: Cricket Australia via Getty Images
I’ve got Mitch, with 26 wickets at an average of 17 and some important innings with the bat, marginally ahead of Travis Head and Alex Carey to be crowned man of the series after the Sydney Test.
I always knew he was talented, but when he first came into the white-ball team for an ODI series in India he was very mild-mannered and shy. He bowled left arm with decent pace, but I remember thinking, how is anyone ever going to be as good as Mitchell Johnson?
