Alex Carey believes Mitchell Starc will play in 5th Test vs India

Border-Gavaskar Trophy: With 15 wickets in the in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy this year, Mitchell Starc has been one of the key bowlers for Australia along with skipper Pat Cummins and Scott Boland. With reports of Starc being sent for scans on his sore ribs on Wednesday ahead of the Sydney Test, Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey has backed the pacer to play in the fifth and last Test of the series.
“I’ve played with Starcy for a long time now and he is one of the toughest cricketers that I’ve played with. He is one of the toughest cricketers that I’ve played with. He’ll grimace and grab his rib without a doubt at times but he’ll be ready for the contest. I thought that the first spell (on the final day at Melbourne) without the reward was some of the best bowling I’ve seen this series from him. He has now got the opportunity to help his team win a Test series. He will be up for the contest,” Carey said while talking with media at Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday.
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The 34-year-old pacer has taken 15 wickets in the series with an average of 28.73 and economy of 3.28. The 24-year-old left-arm pacer, who has played in 93 Tests and picked up 373 wickets, had his best bowling figures of his career in this series when he picked up six wickets for 48 in the Pink Ball Test at Adelaide. With Australia winning the Melbourne Test and leading 2-1 in the series, Starc can play a vital role for the team in the series-decider, Former Australian pacer Glen McGrath too believes that Starc will be available for Sydney. “When he’s on fire, he’s as good as anyone going around. He’s been bowling incredibly well. Fingers crossed. He’s pulled up as well as he can. Australia want to go in with their best team. I hope Mitchell Starts on day one,” McGrath told the media on Wednesday.
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Pacer Jhye Richardson, who was named in the squad earlier, can replace Starc if he misses the Test. Richardson had last played in Tests for Australia in December 2021, where he picked up five wickets in the second innings during Australia’s 275-run win over England. When asked to make a possible return to Test cricket, the 28-year-old shared how he is not trying to think about that much. “”It’s hard to think about that. You can’t spend too much energy wondering about what’s going to happen with selections. [I’m] trying to not think about it too much but if the opportunity arises, I’ll do my best to grab it,” Ricjardson told the media at Sydney Cricket Ground.

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