How Mitchell Starc’s opening-spell legacy makes him greatest new-ball bowler in Tests

Starc celebrates his 7/58 against England in first Ashes 2025 Test (Source: AFP)

Just before the start of the highly anticipated Ashes 2025, there was a concern in the Aussie camp surrounding the absence of the star pacer and skipper, Pat Cummins, alongside his fellow quick, Josh Hazlewood. The hosts had to field the debutant Brendan Doggett alongside Scott Boland to replace the injured quicks. Meanwhile, all eyes were on the only senior-most pacer left in the mix, Mitchell Starc.

There is a notion that translates into the idea that "crisis creates cult characters," and Starc fully lived up to it while shouldering the responsibility in the absence of his two crucial pace-bowling partners. He showcased his exceptional bowling prowess to dismantle England's start in the Ashes 2025 opener in Perth and eventually won the 'Player of the Match' award. 

However, it was not for the first time that the 35-year-old outmuscled the top order of the opponent; he has been delivering the same excellence for the last 14 years since he arrived in the traditional format of the game. 

Most impactful new-ball bowler of all time

In his illustrious career of 101 Tests, Mitchell Starc has established himself as the most impactful bowler with the new ball, courtesy of his numbers in the first over or being a new-ball bowler from the other end. He has been opening the bowling for his side in the Tests for the last couple of years. 

In the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2014-15, after 15 matches of his Test career, Starc started his impressive first-over wicket run, dismissing Murali Vijay in the first over. 

Leading wicket-takers in first over of an innings in Tests

So far, Starc has bowled in the 194 innings of his 101-match Test career, in which he has bowled the first over in 169 innings. The New South Wales veteran picked 25 wickets in these appearances, making himself second in the list of 'bowlers to pick most wickets in the first over of an innings in Tests', following one of all-time bowling greats, James Anderson. 

But what makes Starc superior to James Anderson in terms of impact with the new ball is the difference between the matches played by both the quicks. The Aussie veteran has bagged 25 wickets in the first over in just 169 innings compared to Anderson's 29 first-over wickets in 292 innings. These numbers tell that the English legend has played 123 innings more than Starc to scalp just four more wickets in the first over. 

Besides the numbers discussed above, Starc has scalped 16 out of 25 first-over wickets in the winning cause for Australia, which means 64 per cent of his first-over wickets have been an impact in the wins for his side. 

On the other hand, Anderson has claimed 19 out of his 29 first-over wickets in the games England have won, which is 65.51 per cent of his total first-over wickets and just 1.5 per cent more than Starc's. But this 1.5 per cent between Anderson and Starc includes the difference of 122 innings. 

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One of the game-changing bowlers in the opening sessions 

Apart from his first-over heroics in the Tests, Mitchell Starc has also been one of the game-changing and impactful bowlers in the opening sessions. Since his debut almost 14 years back in December 2011, Starc is the fourth-leading wicket-taker in the first 30 overs of a Test match, following the likes of Stuart Broad, Ravichandran Ashwin, and James Anderson in the list. 

Leading wicket-takers in first session of a Test Match Since Mitchell Starc's debut

The left-arm quick has scalped 171 wickets, while bowling in the first 30 overs of a Test match, following Broad's 184, Ashwin's 190, and Anderson's 191. Notably, all the top three legendary bowlers in this list have retired from the game, making Starc the leading wicket-taker in the first 30 overs among the currently active bowlers. 

One of the notable facts to note in this particular stat is that the same four bowlers, including Starc, are also the leading wicket-takers in the first 30 overs of a game in a winning cause. Former Indian legend Ashwin tops the list with 133 wickets in 116 innings, followed by Anderson with 116 wickets in 102 innings, Broad's 111 wickets in 107 innings, and the currently active Aussie veteran Starc (105 wickets in 117 innings). 

So, the facts and figures also speak volumes in support of the notion that Starc is the most impactful match-winning bowler among the currently active bowlers. 

Conclusion - Consistency in two parameters makes Starc a new-ball master 

Alongside being the most impactful bowler in the first over, or in other words, with the new ball, Starc has also managed to be among the most successful bowlers in the first 30 overs of a Test match. This consistency across two different parameters, with the new ball or it getting a bit older in the first 30 overs, is what makes Starc a successful bowler of his own kind.

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