Starc explains why he skipped Champions Trophy 2025

Published at: February 27, 2025 12:18 PM

Updated at: February 28, 2025 7:09 AM

Mitchell Starc, the Australian fast bowler, has explained why he chose to skip the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025.

Australia, the ODI World Cup 2023 winners, faced setbacks as captain Pat Cummins, pacer Josh Hazlewood, and all-rounder Mitch Marsh were ruled out due to injuries. Their campaign took another hit with Marcus Stoinis unexpectedly retiring from ODI cricket.

Initially, Cricket Australia said Starc withdrew for personal reasons. There was speculation that it was due to his wife Alyssa Healy’s pregnancy, but she denied those claims.

In a recent interview, Starc revealed that his main reason was to focus on the World Test Championship Final against South Africa in June. He mentioned dealing with ankle pain from the Test series and wanting to recover fully.

“There are a few reasons behind my decision. I had some ankle pain during the Test series, so I need to take care of that. We have the Test final coming up and a West Indies tour after that,” Starc explained.

He also mentioned his participation in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL), adding, “But my main priority is the Test final. I want to get my body right, play some cricket over the next few months, and be fully prepared.”

To cover for their missing pacers, Australia brought in Spencer Johnson, Ben Dwarshuis, and Nathan Ellis. Despite the changes, they began their campaign with a win against England in a high-scoring match in Lahore on February 22.