Mitchell Starc facts for kids

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Mitchell Starc

Starc in 2023

Personal information

Full name

Mitchell Aaron Starc

Born

30 January 1990 (age 35)
Baulkham Hills, New South Wales, Australia

Height

197 cm (6 ft 6 in)

Batting

Left-handed

Bowling

Left-arm fast

Role

Bowler

Relations

Alyssa Healy

(m. 2016)

Brandon Starc (brother)

International information

National side

Australia (2010–present)

Test debut (cap 425)

1 December 2011 v New Zealand

Last Test

12 July 2025 v West Indies

ODI debut (cap 185)

20 October 2010 v India

Last ODI

8 November 2024 v Pakistan

ODI shirt no.

T20I debut (cap 59)

7 September 2012 v Pakistan

Last T20I

24 June 2024 v India

T20I shirt no.

Domestic team information

Years

Team

2008/09–present

New South Wales

2011/12–2014/15

Sydney Sixers

2012

Yorkshire

2014-2015

Royal Challengers Bangalore

2024

Kolkata Knight Riders

2025

Delhi Capitals

Career statistics

Competition	Test	ODI	T20I	FC
Matches	100	127	65	152
Runs scored	2,322	577	98	3,213
Batting average	20.19	12.02	9.80	21.00
100s/50s	0/11	0/1	0/0	0/14
Top score	99	52*	14	99
Balls bowled	19,904	6,512	1,458	27,617
Wickets	402	244	79	585
Bowling average	27.02	23.40	23.81	26.45
5 wickets in innings	16	9	0	24
10 wickets in match	2	0	0	4
Best bowling	6/9	6/28	4/20	8/73
Catches/stumpings	45/–	46/–	22/–	73/–

Medal record

Men's cricket

Representing Australia
ICC Cricket World Cup
Winner	2015 Australia and New Zealand
Winner	2023 India
ICC T20 World Cup
Winner	2021 UAE and Oman
ICC World Test Championship
Winner	2021–2023
Runner-up	2023–2025	{{{3}}}

Source: ESPNcricinfo, 15 July 2025

Mitchell Aaron Starc (born 30 January 1990) is an Australian international cricket player. He plays for the Australian national team and New South Wales in Australia. He is a left-arm fast bowler and also bats left-handed. Mitchell Starc is one of Australia's top wicket-takers in both Test and One Day International (ODI) cricket.

Starc started playing international cricket in 2010. He became famous as a key player in the Australian team that won the 2015 Cricket World Cup. He was even named the Player of the Tournament for his amazing performances. He also helped Australia win the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup. In the 2019 Cricket World Cup, he took 27 wickets, which is a record for the most wickets in one tournament. He is the fastest bowler to reach 150 and 200 wickets in ODI history. Starc also helped Australia win the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup and the 2023 ICC World Test Championship final. He is one of only five players to win an ICC trophy in all three types of cricket games.

Starc is known for bowling very fast. His fastest ball was measured at over 160.4 km/h in a Test match. He is also good at making the ball swing in the air. As of July 2025, he is the 4th-highest wicket-taker for Australia in Test cricket.

Early Cricket Journey

Mitchell Starc started playing cricket at a young age, at 9 years old. He played for Northern Districts as a wicket-keeper. He also played for his school, Homebush Boys High School, and for the Berala Sports Cricket Club in Sydney. He was known for both wicket-keeping and bowling in the same game.

Starting with New South Wales

Starc got a contract with New South Wales in 2008. In March 2009, he played his first-class match against Western Australia. Western Australia wanted him to join their team, but he stayed with New South Wales. In the 2009/10 season, he took 21 wickets in eight games. He also scored a half-century against Victoria. In 2010, Starc played for the Australian Institute of Sport. His bowling helped them win a Twenty20 trophy.

Playing for Australia

First Steps in International Cricket (2010–2012)

Starc joined Australia's tour of India in late 2010. He made his international debut in a One Day International (ODI) against India on 20 October 2010. He didn't take any wickets in that game. Later, he played his second ODI against Sri Lanka. He and Clint McKay took nine wickets together, helping Australia win.

Starc was considered for his Test cricket debut in 2011. He took two five-wicket hauls against Queensland. He was then chosen to play for Australia in the first Test match against New Zealand.

Starc playing for New South Wales in 2008

Starc made his Test debut for Australia on 1 December 2011. He took two wickets in that match. He played in the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League and performed well. He was later called back to Australia's Test team. He showed great skill in making the ball swing and took important wickets, including Sachin Tendulkar.

In 2012, Starc joined Australia's ODI squad for series against Afghanistan and Pakistan. He started very well, winning "man of the match" in the first two games. He took four wickets against Afghanistan and five against Pakistan. Australia won the series, and Starc was named player of the series for his nine wickets. His captain, Michael Clarke, praised his pace and swing. Starc also played in the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 where Australia reached the semi-finals.

Success and Challenges (2012–2013)

Starc played for the Sydney Sixers in the 2012 Champions League Twenty20. He was very successful, taking 14 wickets and being named player of the tournament. This showed he could handle a lot of bowling.

He played in a Test match against South Africa in Perth. He took 6 wickets and scored a very fast fifty runs. He then helped Australia win against Sri Lanka in Hobart, taking 5 wickets. However, he was rested for the next big game, the Boxing Day Test. This decision was debated because playing in such a big match is important for a player.

Starc continued to play for Australia in ODI series. He had a great game against the West Indies, taking 5 wickets for only 20 runs. This helped Australia win easily. He had a bone spur in his ankle, which caused him pain. He chose not to have surgery right away because of many upcoming games. In a Test match in India, he almost scored a century, getting out on 99 runs. After this, he had surgery on his ankle to fix the problem.

Returning Strong (2013–2015)

Starc recovered from his back injury and played in shorter cricket games in 2013/14. He returned to Test cricket in October 2014 against Pakistan. He then played for New South Wales, taking seven wickets in one game. He also played in Australia's series against India. He was warned by the International Cricket Council for celebrating too much after taking a wicket. Despite this, he took five wickets in the match.

Starc helped Australia win the 2015 Carlton Mid Triangular Series. He took two wickets in the first three balls against England and six wickets against India. He was named player of the match in both games. His bowling strike-rate was a world record at the time for players with over 50 wickets.

World Cup Heroics

2015 Cricket World Cup Triumph

Starc was a key player in Australia's team that won the 2015 Cricket World Cup. In a close match against New Zealand, he took 6 wickets. He became the first Australian to take 6 wickets in an ODI more than once.

Australia reached the final, again playing New Zealand. Starc bowled Brendon McCullum on the third ball of the match, setting a strong tone for Australia. He finished the tournament with 22 wickets, the best of any bowler since the first World Cup in 1975. Starc was named the player of the tournament and became the top-ranked ODI bowler in the world.

Continuing Success (2015)

Starc played well in the tour of the West Indies in June 2015, taking 10 wickets. He then played in the 2015 Ashes series against England. He took five wickets in the first match. He also scored 58 runs in a partnership with Peter Nevill, helping Australia stay in the game. In the fourth Test, he took his best bowling figures of 6 wickets for 111 runs.

After the Ashes, Starc played in an ODI series against England. He took a wicket in the first over, similar to the World Cup final. He also bowled a very fast ball that hit England captain Eoin Morgan, causing him to leave the game due to concussion.

Starc then played for New South Wales in the 2015–16 Matador BBQs One-Day Cup. He took 26 wickets, breaking the record for most wickets in an Australian domestic one-day season. He was named player of the series.

In the final Test match of 2015, Starc bowled the fastest ball recorded in Test cricket at 160.4 km/h. However, he suffered a stress fracture in his foot and needed surgery, missing upcoming games. Despite injuries, Starc was the best-performing bowler in international cricket in 2015, taking the most wickets in both Test and ODI matches.

Strong Comeback (2016)

Starc returned from surgery in June 2016 for the 2016 West Indies Tri-Series. He played well without ankle pain. He then joined Australia's tour of Sri Lanka. He took a wicket with the first ball of the second Test match. He took 5 wickets for 44 runs, breaking records for an Australian fast bowler in Sri Lanka. He also took his 100th Test wicket. In the second innings, he took 6 wickets for 40 runs. Starc took 24 wickets in the series, a record for an overseas fast bowler in Asia.

His success continued in the ODI series, where he took his 100th ODI wicket in his 52nd match. This made him the fastest bowler to reach 100 ODI wickets, breaking a 19-year record.

In November 2016, Starc had an accidental collision during practice and needed 30 stitches in his shin. Despite this, he played in the first Test match against South Africa. He bowled with an open wound and took four wickets. He played through the rest of the series and the following series against Pakistan. He played in the Boxing Day Test match for the first time. Starc won Australia's Men's Test Player of the Year award for 2016, the first bowler to win it in nine years.

Injuries and Milestones (2017–2018)

Starc in 2017

In 2017, Starc struggled to make the ball swing as much as before. However, he bowled well in India, taking two key wickets in the first Test. He also scored an important 61 runs with the bat. Australia won the match, their first Test win in India in a long time. But Starc suffered another stress fracture in his foot and had to go home.

He was fit for the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy. In a match against Bangladesh, he took four wickets and achieved a "triple-wicket maiden" (three wickets in one over without giving away any runs). This was the first time this had happened in the Champions Trophy.

Starc returned from injury to play for New South Wales. He took his career-best figures of 8 wickets for 73 runs. He then became the first bowler to take a hat-trick in each innings of a Sheffield Shield match. This was a very rare achievement in cricket history.

Starc played in the first three matches of the 2017–18 Ashes series, helping Australia win and regain the Ashes. He then had a bruised heel and missed the Boxing Day Test. He played in the final match and the ODI series, but his bowling was slower.

In 2018, Starc played in Australia's tour of South Africa. In the first Test, he took 9 wickets in the match and won the Man of the Match award. He was able to make the ball reverse swing well. The series had a controversial moment where the Australian team was found to have broken cricket rules regarding the ball. Starc was not found to be involved.

Finding Form Again (2018–2019)

Starc had his longest break from cricket in over three years before returning in September 2018. He worked on his bowling action to get the ball to swing more again.

He struggled in the 2018–19 Border–Gavaskar Trophy series against India. He faced criticism for his form. Starc decided to focus on bowling fast instead of swing. This helped him return to form in the next series against Sri Lanka. His bowling speed was consistently around 150 km/h. He took 10 wickets in the second Test, helping Australia win the series.

After the Sri Lanka series, Starc tore a muscle in his chest and missed tours to India and the UAE. He returned to cricket in May 2019, just before the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

2019 Cricket World Cup Performance

Starc at Trent Bridge during the 2019 World Cup.

In Australia's first World Cup match against the West Indies, Starc took five wickets. He took wickets at important times to help Australia win. During this game, he also became the fastest bowler to take 150 wickets in ODIs, doing it in his 77th game.

On 29 June 2019, against New Zealand, Starc became the first bowler to take three five-wicket hauls (five wickets in one game) at the Cricket World Cup. He finished the tournament with 27 wickets, which is a record for the most wickets by one player in a single World Cup.

Recent Years (2019–2025)

In July 2019, Starc was part of Australia's squad for the 2019 Ashes series in England. He played one game and took 4 wickets.

In November 2020, Starc was nominated for the ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Decade award. In December, he took his 250th wicket in Test cricket against India. In August 2021, he became the first Australian bowler to take 50 wickets in T20I cricket against Bangladesh. He also played in the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, taking nine wickets as Australia won the tournament.

Starc played well in the 2021-22 Ashes series, taking 19 wickets and scoring 155 runs. His efforts helped Australia win the series 4–0 and keep the Ashes.

Starc bowling to Rohit Sharma in the 2023 Cricket World Cup final.

2023 Cricket World Cup Victory

He was part of the team that won the 2023 Cricket World Cup in India. He took 16 wickets in 10 matches. He played a key role in the knockout games, taking 3 wickets in the semi-final against South Africa and 3 wickets in the final against India.

2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup

In May 2024, Starc was named in Australia's squad for the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. In a match against India, he had his most expensive over in his career, giving away 29 runs.

Milestones in 2025

In July 2025, during Australia's Test series win over the West Indies, Starc played his 100th Test match. He also took his 400th wicket in Test cricket. In the third Test, he took six wickets, including a five-wicket haul in just 15 balls, which is the fastest in history.

Playing in the Indian Premier League

Mitchell Starc has played for several teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL), a popular T20 cricket league. However, he has missed many seasons due to injuries or playing for the Australian national team. He has played for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Delhi Capitals.

Early IPL Seasons

In 2014, Starc joined the Royal Challengers Bangalore. He showed great fielding skills, taking two diving catches. He also had a moment with Mumbai batsman Kieron Pollard where both players were fined for their actions.

His start to the 2015 season was delayed by a knee injury. When he returned, he led Bangalore's bowling attack and helped turn the team's performance around. He finished the tournament with 20 wickets. He missed the 2016 IPL due to a foot injury. In 2017, he left Royal Challengers Bangalore to focus on his fitness for Australia.

Recent IPL Seasons

In 2018, Kolkata Knight Riders bought Starc for a large amount of money, but he was ruled out due to injury and never played for them that season. He was released from his contract in 2018 to prepare for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

Starc decided to return for the 2024 season. He was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for a record-breaking amount, making him the most expensive player ever bought in an IPL auction. He played his first IPL season since 2015. On 26 May 2024, he took 2 wickets for 14 runs in the final, helping Kolkata Knight Riders win the Tata IPL Final against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

In 2025, Delhi Capitals bought Starc for the Indian Premier League. On 30 March 2025, he took 5 wickets for 35 runs, leading Delhi Capitals to a win against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Achievements and Awards

2015 World Cup Player of the Tournament
ICC Men's Test Team of the Year: 2016, 2017, 2019, 2023
ICC Men's ODI Team of the Year: 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019
Allan Border Medal: 2022
Shane Warne Men's Test Player of the Year: 2017
Australian Men's ODI Player of the Year: 2022
ICC Cricket World Cup Highest Wicket Taker: 2015, 2019
Marsh One Day Cup Player of the Tournament: 2015–16
Wisden Cricketer of the Year: 2024

Personal Life

Mitchell Starc has Slovene family background. His younger brother, Brandon Starc, is an Australian Olympic high jumper.

In 2015, Starc got engaged to fellow Australian cricketer Alyssa Healy. They married on 15 April 2016. They are one of only a few married couples where both partners have played Test cricket. They first met when they were 9 years old, both playing as wicketkeepers for Northern Districts. In March 2020, Starc flew home from a cricket tour to watch Healy play in the final of the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup.

Starc supports the Greater Western Sydney Giants in the Australian Football League. He and his wife Alyssa Healy were named joint number 1 ticket holders of the club in 2025. He also grew up supporting the rugby league club the St. George Dragons.

Images for kids

Starc playing for New South Wales in 2008
Starc in 2017
Starc at Trent Bridge during the 2019 World Cup.
Starc bowling to Rohit Sharma in the 2023 Cricket World Cup final.