Starc's time to unleash: Can he rescue depleted Aussie pace-attack in Ashes opener?

Mitchell Starc will lead the Australia bowling in Perth. [ICC/X.com]

The last time Ashes was being played in Australia, Mitchell Starc set the stage on fire by cleaning up Rory Burns' leg stump on the first ball of the series. This time around, he is set to lead the Aussie pace-attack, with captain Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood ruled out of the opening Test in Perth.

Having recently completed his 400 Test wickets, Starc will come into the series high on confidence, but to start the series on a high for the hosts, he will have to shoulder the weight of a lot of expectations.

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Can a Starc special lead Australia to glory in Perth?

Since the turn of the millennium, no Australian fast bowler has taken more Ashes wickets than Starc. With 97 scalps against the arch-rivals in 22 matches, he is only behind Nathan Lyon (110) and Shane Warne (108).

However, just like the batting partnerships, the bowlers hunt in pairs as well. He has always had Cummins and Hazlewood alongside him, to build pressure from the other end, with some economical bowling. This time he will have Scott Boland, who has shown that he can do the job for his team but the third pacer, (most likely Brendan Doggett) will be under the pump.

Here's a breakdown of why Starc needs to shine in Perth to give his team the series lead.

Starc's impressive record in Perth

(Starc's record at both stadiums in Perth)

Inference:

The southpaw's record in Perth comes in as a respite for the Aussies, as he has made some good use of the lively and bouncy wickets of the Western Australia. 

With his swing and pace at the Optus Stadium, he is only second to Nathan Lyon's 29 wickets as the highest wicket-taking fast bowler at the venue, while bowling tighter spells as compared to the old W.A.C.A stadium.

Combining the numbers of both venues, he currently has the equal number of wickets (52) as the great Glenn McGrath in the city. On some days, he might leak runs at a quicker rate but as the fast bowler with second most wickets for his country, he thrives at bowling wicket-taking deliveries, while also staying consistently fit to play.

Conclusion:

Starc's record of 97 wickets against England is a huge sign that he likes to be challenged by top-quality opposition. As he closes in on 100 Ashes wickets, he will try and exploit the England batting line-up, which generally plays on flatter wickets at home and try to score briskly.

With his quality and experience, he can trap the the English top-order with the new ball and induce mistakes, when they try to take him down with their aggressive approach. Considering Boland bowls at low economy rates, Starc could benefit out of it like he usually does and knock down the opposition.

Captain Steve Smith can rely on his New South Wales teammate to come good in the home conditions, after having a decent break in international cricket to regain his 100% fitness.

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