Australia have already run through one of their usual pacers. Josh Hazlewood was ruled out of the Australian squad after the third Test match for the remainder of the series following a calf strain. As huge a blow as it was, it would be minuscule compared to the damage Australia would bear in case Mitchell Starc is forced to the fringes. The Aussie pacer began experiencing discomfort in his back as early as the first innings of the Boxing Day Test. Despite that, Starc managed to bowl 41 overs throughout the game, and those too as well as he usually does. However, there is an outside chance he might not be game-ready before the last Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Feelings of discomfort usually do not threaten a player’s availability, but to Australia’s misfortune, the short turnaround between the fourth and fifth Test matches could force the hosts to be more vigilant with their premier pacer. That Starc was able to maintain his usual speeds, and at times even better, is deemed as a positive sign by the Australian coach, Andrew McDonald.
“Anytime you get through the game, it’s always a good indicator that you’re a chance at the next game. It didn’t stop him. Clearly, there was a little bit of discomfort early on in spells, but once he got warm, it seemed as though he was pretty free. [His] ball speeds were good.” McDonald said following his team’s win at the MCG. But for all the positivity, the Aussie coach did not throw the question of sidelining Starc out of the window.
“We’ll see how everyone recovers,” McDonald said when asked if Starc will play the Sydney test. “Bowling last, it was a pretty attritional game, something that we’re not used to in the last few years. Clearly Starcy’s carrying something of some description. We’ll assess that. But other than that, it looks as though we got through pretty unscathed, but [with a] short turnaround recovery is important, and we’ll assess what the team looks like in Sydney based upon the surface, as we always do.”
Who will Australia turn to in the event all goes downhill for them and Starc? Jhye Richardson, who was earlier released from the squad to let him feature in the Big Bash League, has been recalled. McDonald pointed out that he could be added to the team should the need arise.
“He’s here for a reason. So if we weren’t confident, he wouldn’t be here. He’s had a heavy week with us in the nets. All indications are he’d be capable of bowling 40-plus overs if he was called upon.”
The doors are also open for Sean Abbott, whose skillset, McDonald thinks, would be the right fit for the conditions at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
“Sean Abbott’s there as well. We feel like, [the] SCG is his home ground, so he will be serviceable if called upon as well. It’ll be about assessing our frontline quicks and then making decisions from there.”
In addition to the questions surrounding Starc’s replacement, Australia would want to look for someone who can cover for the team’s fifth bowling option as well. Cameron Green’s injury forced all the duties onto Mitchell Marsh, who himself is not 100% fit. Until this point, the hosts have managed to get away without facing any tough questions due to the situation they are in. Pat Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood/Scott Boland, and Nathan Lyon have majorly divided the over between them in the series, but it will definitely be too much to expect from a less experienced replacement (if there is any).
