'Money's Nice, But...': Mitchell Starc On Opting Out Of IPL Regularly

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In times when T20 cricket is attracting players, Australia's Mitchell Starc has dedicated himself to playing international cricket. One of the best left-arm bowlers in the modern era, Starc has often opted out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and preferred to play for Australia. 

Starc last featured in the IPL for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in 2015 and has only played the cash-rich tournament two times. 

Speaking ahead of the all-important ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2023 against India to cricket.com.au, Starc revealed that he wants to play 100 Tests for Australia, and that has kept him away from franchise cricket.

Here's what Starc said

"To choose not to do certain things to prolong playing for Australia, I've tried to be smart about that. Yeah, the money's nice, but I'd love to play 100 Test matches. Whether I get there or not, I don't know, but that would be a nice one to tick off. Hopefully, there's a little bit left in me."

Starc, 33, made his debut back in 2011 and has since appeared in 77 Tests claiming 306 wickets at an impressive average of 27.52.

Talking about his retirement, Starc said that he will know when the time comes, having played for Australia for over 10 years across formats.

"To play three formats for over 10 years, it's been a lot of pain along the way, but I'm grateful I've gotten that far. Whilst I've tried to add to the bow, as soon as I lose airspeed, there's going to be someone chasing me. Once that next left-armer is coming through, yeah, I'm sure I'll know when I know."

The pacer will be crucial for Australia's success in the WTC Final against India, which starts tomorrow at The Oval.