Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc will miss the beginning of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. The premier left-arm pacer informed the Delhi Capitals (DC) management regarding his unavailability for the first few matches of the tournament, which is set to begin on March 28.
According to a recent report published by cricket.com.au, Cricket Australia (CA) is taking a cautious approach with their bowlers. The Australia cricket board wants to manage Starc before a busy upcoming international calendar featuring major bilateral series against the South Africa cricket team and others.
Mitchell Starc to Miss Start of IPL 2026 Season for Delhi Capitals
Mitchell Starc’s workload is being carefully managed after he bowled more deliveries in Test cricket than almost any other player over the past 12 months. Only Indian fast bowler Mohammed Siraj delivered more, highlighting the physical toll on the 36-year-old Australian veteran across formats.
The veteran fast bowler will arrive at the Delhi Capitals camp feeling relatively fresh compared to his peers. Starc retired from T20 Internationals late last year and got a break during the recent T20 World Cup 2026 to prioritize his workload.
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Starc last played competitive cricket during the recent Big Bash League season, where he took 10 wickets in just five matches. The experienced pacer remains lethal in white-ball cricket despite stepping away from T20 internationals.
Mitchell Starc’s IPL 2025 Performance and Delhi Capitals’ Bittersweet Campaign
The Delhi Capitals secured Mitchell Starc during the IPL 2025 auction for INR 11.75 crore. The high-profile acquisition translated into a relatively successful individual campaign, as the Australian pacer contributed well to the bowling department.
Starc picked up 14 wickets in 11 matches at a strike rate of 15.40, though he was slightly on the expensive side. The left-arm fast bowler recorded his best figures of five wickets for just 35 runs and finished as the second-highest wicket-taker for the Delhi-based franchise in the competition.
The Delhi Capitals endured a bittersweet IPL 2025 campaign. After starting the tournament on a positive note, the franchise suffered three crucial defeats in their final five league-stage matches. They finished fifth in the standings with 15 points, narrowly missing out on a playoff spot.
Australian Pacers Set to Miss Start of IPL 2026 Season
Alongside Mitchell Starc, several other prominent Australian fast bowlers will miss the opening weekend of the tournament. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain Pat Cummins and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) pacer Josh Hazlewood will also remain unavailable for their respective franchises.
Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) fast bowler Nathan Ellis looks set to miss the entire IPL season. It is worth mentioning that CSK retained Ellis after releasing Matheesha Pathirana ahead of the IPL 2025 auction.
Cricket Tasmania recently confirmed that the 31-year-old pacer unfortunately re-aggravated a severe right hamstring injury while playing in the recent One-Day Cup domestic final in Hobart last week, forcing his withdrawal.
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