India vs Australia: Starc has lost his inswinger, says Dean Jones

If you look at Mitchell Starc's performances this year, he has hardly been a strike bowler that he ought to be. He is under the scanner in the ongoing India vs Australia Test series.

Mitchell Starc appeals for a LBW in Melbourne on Thursday.

This has been a season where there has been a heated debate about Mitchell Starc.

The Australian fast bowler has just about everything; a lanky, lithe frame, a left-armer’s angle, speed, thrust, swing, a telling yorker, and a nasty short ball.

Yet, if you look at his performances this year, he has hardly been a strike bowler that he ought to be.

And spin bowling legend Shane Warne believes Starc lacks the aggression of an enforcer.

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In the past, Warne has called Starc ‘soft.’ And after the Adelaide debacle against India in this series, Warne termed Starc’s bowling “atrocious.” Starc has responded by saying he would go about the way he has been bowling. “If I listen to Warnie I might as well retire,” he said.

Asked about his take on the issue, former Australian batting star Dean Jones said to Sportstar , “Well, Starc has lost his inswinger. His arm and wrist are not holding up as he releases the ball. You look at someone like Mohammed Shami and you can see the difference.”

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Jones added, “And Starc has spurs in both his heels. He is struggling when he stretches himself. When he tries to bowl quick the pain travels to his knees and gets back into his comfort zone. Starc needs a surgery but that would put him out for at least a couple of months.” 

The 28-year-old Starc had 196 wickets in 47 Tests before the ongoing Test and despite striking weighty blows, there has always been this feeling that the left-armer has been unable to run through line-ups like the great Aussie pace predators of the past.

He produces the odd, hostile spell but is not able to put everything together. Jones himself has played with Craig McDermott and Merv Hughes, who might not had possessed the kind of arsenal Starc has, but left several batting line-ups devastated with their hostility and intimidation that went hand in hand with body language.

Here, Jones disagreed that ‘in-your-face’ aggression was a box to be ticked. “Different fast bowlers go about their job differently. Starc is quieter but I have seen times when he has got worked up and bowled with great pace. You don’t really have to show your aggression.”

Starc is under the scanner this series.