Mitchell Starc, an Australian fast bowler, is allegedly in great demand among franchises ahead of the highly anticipated auction for the 2018 Indian Premier League (IPL) season.
The registration date for the forthcoming auction is Thursday (November 30). Players must submit their identities as well as No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to their respective boards. The much-anticipated mini-auction is set to take place on December 19 in Dubai. Over 700 people are anticipated to register for the auction.
Mitchell Starc is one of the most sought-after players in the game. The left-arm bowler has only appeared in two IPL seasons, the most recent being in 2015. He has missed the IPL in recent years for a variety of reasons, including injury or prioritising international commitments and family time.
Mitchell Starc, on the other hand, is poised to make his long-awaited comeback to the IPL, and numerous franchises are vying for his services. According to Cricbuzz, despite his history of making himself unavailable after being acquired in past auctions, the fast bowler is expected to be heavily pursued by clubs.
Mitchell Starc ready to return to IPL:
According to sources close to Cricket Australia, at least five franchises have approached the Australia star. The World Cup champion is expected to be prominently featured on the marquee list. Mitchell Starc expressed his desire to play in the IPL in order to prepare for next year’s T20 World Cup in September of this year.
“I’m definitely going back in (next) year. Amongst other things, it’s a great lead up to the T20 World Cup. So a good opportunity to see if anyone’s interested in the IPL, then lead into the T20 World Cup. And it’s somewhat of a quiet winter next year … in comparison to this winter, so I think a perfect opportunity to put my name in,” he had told the Willow Talk cricket podcast.
In two seasons of IPL, the Australia pacer has taken 34 wickets in 27 games while maintaining an economy rate of slightly over 7. He played for Royal Challengers Bangalore in both seasons. In 2018, he was signed by the Kolkata Knight Riders but withdrew from the tournament owing to an injury.
