One of the finest fast bowlers of the modern generation, Mitchell Starc, will go down in history as one of the best Australian pacers of all time. In contemporary times, Starc is among the very few fast bowlers who can terrorise opposition batters with his pace, swing, and accuracy.

Starc has been noted for his ability to bowl at great pace, with his fastest delivery recorded at over 160.4 km/h (the fastest ever recorded in a Test match), and for generating reverse swing.

Mitchell Starc Early Life

As a teenager, Mitchell Starc had aspirations of becoming a wicket-keeper, but he was spotted by a coach while he was being tested. The coach had asked him to come out of the net and offered to teach him bowling. Starc got accustomed to fast bowling quickly and was bowling at 135 clicks as a 16-year-old.

His coach at that time, Neil D’Costa, recalls fascinating stories about the speedster who was always a great listener. 

Mitchell Starc Domestic Career

Mitchell Starc had a below-par Sheffield Shield debut as a 19-year-old and leaked runs besides bagging a couple of wickets. But he came back with a bang next season when he picked up 21 wickets in 8 matches. 

He came into the headlines with an outstanding performance in the domestic One-Day Cup. He finished with 26 wickets in just 6 matches at a surreal average of 8.12. 

He went to England and played in the County Championship to sharpen his craft and learn the skills of bowling with a Duke ball. He returned as a completely different bowler.

Mitchell Starc ODI Career

The 6 feet 5 inches tall pacer, Mitchell Starc, made his ODI debut for Australia against India on October 20, 2010, in Visakhapatnam. The left-arm fast bowler did not take a wicket in that match, which was part of a brief tour. 

Very early in his career, Starc sustained a chest injury in 2012. However, he made a strong comeback, bagging three five-wicket hauls on his return to the ODI side. 

The left-arm pacer had a dream time in the 2015 ICC World Cup, which Australia won for the fifth time. He finished with 22 wickets in the World Cup and was named the Player of the Tournament. 

In 2019, when the lanky speedster landed in the United Kingdom to defend the World Cup, Starc ended the tournament as the highest wicket-taker to achieve the feat for the second successive time.

During the 2023 World Cup, where the Aussies won their sixth ODI title, Starc played a remarkable part. In the opening match against India, Starc dismissed Ishan Kishan for a golden duck, marking his 50th World Cup wicket in just 941 balls, the fastest to this milestone, surpassing Lasith Malinga's previous record of 1,187 balls. 

Mitchell Starc Test Career

Mitchell Starc was called up in the Australian squad for the two-match Test series in India in 2010 as a back-up fast bowler but had to warm the benches. On the back of injuries, Starc made his Test debut against New Zealand at the Gabba in 2011. 

The Sydney-born was dropped from the first two home Tests against India in 2012-13 but came back strongly in the last two Tests, where he bagged the prized wicket of Sachin Tendulkar. 

Later, he broke the 160 kmph barrier during the WACA Test against New Zealand in 2015. Starc finished 2015 as the leading wicket-taker in international cricket with 87 scalps under his belt.

Starc was brilliant in the 2017-18 Ashes, where he took 22 wickets in just four matches. He emerged as a linchpin in Australia's 4-0 triumph over England in 2020-21, famously dismissing Rory Burns with the first ball of the series. In the second Test at Adelaide Oval, he became the first bowler to claim 50 wickets in day-night Test matches. 

Returning to Pakistan after 24 years, his reverse swing helped Australia clinch the series. In the Ashes 2023, he was Australia's leading wicket-taker with 23 wickets. 

In January 2025, during the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, Starc claimed his 700th international wicket, joining Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, and Brett Lee as the only Australians to reach this milestone.

Mitchell Starc T20I Career (2012-2024)

Mitchell Starc made his T20I debut for Australia against Pakistan on September 7, 2012, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. In his debut T20I match, he delivered a tidy 4-over spell for 17 runs and took 1 wicket, with his maiden T20I victim being Imran Nazir.

In August 2021, in the first match against Bangladesh, Starc became the first Australian bowler to take 50 wickets in T20I cricket. 

Later the same month, Starc was named in Australia's squad for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, where he took nine wickets in seven matches with a bowling average of 27.55.

On September 1, 2025, Starc announced his retirement from T20Is, prioritising Test cricket. The decision came days before Cricket Australia named a squad for their October series in New Zealand in the build-up to the T20 World Cup 2026.

Starc played 65 T20Is after making his debut in 2012 and was part of the Australia side that won the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE. 

He last featured in the format at the 2024 World Cup in the Caribbean and has retired six months before the next edition in India and Sri Lanka. His 79 T20I wickets currently put him second for Australia, with his best of 4 for 20 coming against the West Indies in 2022.

Mitchell Starc IPL Career

Mitchell Starc’s IPL journey began with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in 2014 and 2015. However, he stayed away from the lucrative league for a long time, prioritising his national duties. 

Notably, ahead of IPL 2024, Starc made history, becoming the then-most-expensive player in IPL history when the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) secured his services for INR 24.75 crore. He played an instrumental hand in KKR’s 2024 campaign, helping them win the title and earning Player of the Match awards in Qualifier 1 and the final.

For the subsequent IPL season, Starc was acquired by the Delhi Capitals for INR 11.75 crore. The premium fast bowler was once again a cornerstone for DC, who briefly missed qualifying for the playoffs. 

He continued his dominance by claiming his maiden IPL five-wicket haul (5/35) against Sunrisers Hyderabad, becoming the first overseas pacer to achieve the feat for the franchise. 

As the Delhi Capitals hunt for their maiden IPL trophy in 2026, Starc’s vast experience and big-match temperament will be the cornerstone of their attack. 

(As of April 2026)