Won’t play next World Cup: Starc

Kolkata, Nov 13: Australian left-arm quick Mitchell Starc on Monday made it clear that he has no plans to play the next World Cup though he will not quit ODI cricket just yet.
Starc, who will be 37 by the time the next World Cup is played in South Africa, was part of Australia’s 2015 ODI and 2021 T20 triumphs. But this time around, he has been below-par, bagging 10 wickets at an average of 43.90.
“I’ll look to keep playing after this, but I don’t doubt that I won’t be making the next World Cup. I’ve no vision for that. Four years is a long (time),” he told reporters at the team hotel.
Australia have limited ODI engagements next year with a series against the West Indies in February and then the next one is not before September when they tour England.
Starc said it’s the Test cricket which will be his first priority.“I’ve always maintained that Test cricket is the top of the tree for me and I’ll drop off the rest before I let go of Test cricket. For me (the World Cup semifinal) is just another one-day game for Australia,” he added.
Blaming the “flat wickets” for his below-par show in this World Cup, Starc said, “I certainly haven’t been at the level I would have liked,” he said. (PTI)