NEWS
Follow UsMitchell Starc is itching to hit the ground running in the third Test of the Border- Gavaskar Trophy against India starting on March 1 at the Holkar Stadium in Indore.
The left-arm seamer missed the opening two games of the series owing to a finger injury but has recovered for the third game and might replace Australian skipper Pat Cummins in the playing XI.
"It's good enough. "There's going to be a level of discomfort, and I don't think it is going to be 100% for a little while, but the ball is coming out quite nicely, and I feel like I'm pretty much at full tilt," he said as quoted by ESPN Cricinfo.
The 32-year-old injured his middle finger against South Africa in a Boxing Day clash and, since then, missed the last couple of Tests to give his injured finger some rest after detaching a tendon from the bone.
"It's more the discomfort of the joint being restricted, having been in a splint for six weeks and still having to be in a splint for another couple of weeks yet. So that's probably the only part, dealing with the discomfort of it and getting the mobility back into it," he said.
"That'll come over the next couple of weeks, and it's progressed again, it's a progression each day I bowl. It's not a concern for me, the comfort levels - it's doing what I need it to do to be available to play," he further added.
The Australian speedster also shared insights on how this will not be the first game in his decade-long career that he would play with some discomfort.
"It wouldn't be the first Test match I've played in some sort of discomfort. If I only played when I was at 100%, I would have only played five or ten Tests. So I'm happy with where it's at, and I've built up enough of a pain threshold to deal with that stuff over the last 10 or 12 years," Starc said.
With the visiting side down 0-2 in the series and spinners playing a significant role, Starc believes the pacers have an essential role with the new balls as well as the older ball aiding reverse swing.
"It's been a challenge for the first two Tests. We do see spin playing a huge part but having said that, the quicks still do have a part to play with the new ball, and if it does reverse, being able to bowl that skiddy ball and bring the stumps into play."
"There's certainly an important role to play for the seam bowlers, as we've seen with the Indian guys, and Pat has been attacking at times as well with the ball".
Being a left-armer is slightly different, and with the footmarks, I can produce as well. Certainly produce more than the Indian guys with being a bit heavier at the crease," he concluded.
