In a shocking news to fans on the eve of Christmas, Australian pacer Mitchell Starc was once again been ruled out from the Boxing Day Test, this time due to a bruised heel. Jackson Bird, who played his last Test match for Australia in the Boxing Day Test last year is all set to replace Mitch Starc in this year’s Boxing Day clash against England at the MCG!
Starc made his Test debut on 1st of December in the year 2011 but he has played only once in a Boxing Day Test match till date. This was bad news for Australia ahead of the 4th Ashes 2017/18 series.
Mitchell Starc in the Boxing Day Test since his debut in Tests:
2011 vs India: Played preceding Test against NZ in Hobart in which he picked up 2 wickets in the 1st innings and wicket less in the 2nd innings! He has been dropped for Ben Hilfenhaus for this Boxing Day Test.
2012 vs Sri Lanka: Controversially rested following heavy workload in the previous Test match in Hobart. Starc bowled 52.2 overs in his previous Test picking up 6 wickets in both the innings combined!
2013 vs England: Sidelined due to serious back injury. Starc also missed Tests for Australia for more than a year from August 2013 to October 2014 due to this back injury!
2014 vs India: Played the preceding Test against India in Brisbane in which he scored a fifty in the 1st innings. However, he was wicket less in the 1st innings before picking up 2 wickets in just his 8 overs in the 2nd innings. Starc has been dropped to make way for Ryan Harris for the Boxing Day Test.
2015 vs West Indies: Played first three Tests of the summer against New Zealand which included a Day-Night Test as well and Starc didn’t bowl in the 2nd innings of the 3rd Test due to serious foot injury. The same injury kept him out of the Boxing Day Test.
2016 vs Pakistan: A year to remember for Mitch Starc as he played his first Boxing Day Test since his debut, he has also hit 84 with 3 fours and 7 sixes (most sixes by an Aussie batting at no. 8) with the bat and took four wickets on the final day to pull off an unlikely victory on Day 5 at the MCG!
2017 vs England: Played the preceding Test against England in Perth during which he showed the signs of heel injury and he is yet to recover from the injury and has been ruled out! With Australia already winning the Ashes urn, they can afford to lose their best bowler this time!
