Australia and Pakistan are gearing up for the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, set to commence on December 26. The home team leads the three-match series 1-0 following a convincing victory in the opening Test at Perth. As the cricketing world turns its attention to the second Test, Australian pace sensation Mitchell Starc has raised eyebrows over Pakistan’s unexpected drop in pace during the Perth encounter.
Pakistan’s renowned fast bowlers fall short
Pakistan has long been renowned for producing exceptional fast bowlers, known for their formidable pace attack. However, in the first Test at Perth, the trio of Shaheen Afridi and debutants Aamer Jamal and Khurram Shazad failed to trouble the Australian batters with the pace that fans have come to expect from Pakistan’s bowlers.
Mitchell Starc Surprised by pace dip
Starc, a key figure in the Australian bowling lineup, expressed surprise at the lower pace displayed by Pakistan’s bowlers in Perth. In a post-match analysis, he remarked, “I think everyone was slightly surprised at the lower pace of the Pakistan bowlers when you’re generally used to some guys getting in the 150s [kph]. I don’t think that pace is the be all and end all, but it certainly plays a part and can help.”
Pace isn’t everything, Says Starc
Despite emphasizing the significance of pace, Starc was quick to note that it isn’t the sole determining factor for a bowler’s effectiveness. Drawing attention to his teammate Scott Boland, Starc highlighted that Boland, although not among the fastest bowlers, has a knack for troubling batters with his line and length.
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“Case in point, you look at Scotty Boland who can bowl good wheels, but he’s not at your top end of pace bowlers. But he generates a lot of sideways movement here in Melbourne, obviously being his home ground. He’s done it for a long time, and we saw that obviously against England, where every ball he bowled could have been a wicket. So I don’t think that pace is the be all and end all. Certainly, for our attack, we all complement each other really well by doing things very differently,” Starc added.
Starc’s recent IPL feat
Recently, Starc made history by becoming the most expensive player in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL). During the IPL 2024 auction held in Dubai, Starc was acquired by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for a staggering price of INR 24.75 crore. This achievement adds to Starc’s illustrious cricketing journey, making headlines both internationally and in the high-profile T20 league.
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