'At certain stages, I didn't want to play cricket at all,' Mitchell Starc on a rough 2021

Allan Border medal winner Mitchell Starc looking back at 2021 says that there was a point where he did not want to play cricket at all. Starc played through the pain of losing his father to cancer last year, but was criticised for his performances in the series against India and also in the T20 World Cup final, where he conceded 60 runs in his four overs.

"Obviously last year was particularly tough on and off the field," Starc was quoted as saying by foxsports.com.

"I probably didn't play the cricket I wanted to and, at certain stages, I probably didn't want to play cricket at all."

The Australia pacer managed just 11 wickets at 40.72 in the four-match Test series against India. He was heavily criticised by Shane Warne after that performance, but Starc redeemed himself in the Ashes where he finished with 19 wickets at 25.37, including dismissing Rory Burns off the very first ball of the series.

Starc remains unfazed by Warne's criticisms saying that the former Australia spinner is entitled to his opinion.

"I think, what was it? It was a straight half-volley on leg stump I think someone (Warne) said," said Starc on the criticism from the legendary Australian spinner.

"What would you like me to speak to him (Warne) about? It doesn't interest me at all. He's (Warne) entitled to his opinion. I'm just going to go about my cricket the way I'd like to, and I've got my family support networks and I get to play cricket with some of my best mates, so I'm pretty comfortable with where I'm at," said Starc.

Starc, who took 43 wickets across all formats in the 12-month period, edged out all-rounder Mitchell Marsh by one vote. He is only the fifth fast bowler since its inception to win the award, joining Pat Cummins, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath.

It was a double delight for Starc as he also won the men's ODI Player of the Year.

Starc said what matters to him is the opinion of his friends and family, including his cricketer wife Alyssa Healy, who keeps wickets for the Australian women's team and bats explosively at the top of the order.

"I made it a key point of mine to not pay too much attention to, I guess, opinions outside of my circle of trust if you like, which I did a few years ago. And I think that's kept me in a pretty level space through the last few years with either not playing the cricket I wanted to, or certainly challenges off the field.

"I've got a wife who plays at the highest level and a couple of my closest mates who play international cricket, so I've got a pretty good sounding board in that regard," Starc said.

(With inputs from PTI)