Mitchell Starc believes that the forthcoming T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA won’t resemble the exciting competition that the current Indian Premier League season is proving to be. By now, with almost two thirds of the 2024 Indian Premier League played, huge scores have become the norm, and teams batting first can no longer safely rely on the 200-run threshold. Sunrisers Hyderabad has repeatedly defeated the 250-run barrier, which has only been crossed once before this season. They have even dared to approach the historic 300-run record. Starc provided an explanation for why he believes the ICC showcase tournament will have a better bat-ball balance.
“There’s no Impact Player rule (in international cricket), so whether that affects the scores is yet to be seen,” Starc stated. “I believe it most likely will. Individuals discuss the team’s balance when adding more members isn’t an option. Your all-round players are back in action. When you have merely 11 players, captains also need to consider some tactical considerations. Being able to witness that directly in the IPL has been interesting.”
Feedback on the impact player rule, which was implemented starting with the 2023 IPL season, has been inconsistent. Although it has given many uncapped talents a chance to show off their abilities, the 12 vs. 12 combat hasn’t been warmly received by the game’s commentators. If the first season was about the teams experimenting, then this year has seen a massive increase in the intentionality of the batting approach. The rule helped KKR on Friday when they sent out Manish Pandey as the Impact Player with the team struggling at 57/5, keeping Ramandeep Singh and Andre Russell back for the finish.
The visitors took a risk because they obviously intended to utilize a bowler at that position later in the game. However, KKR decided to change their strategy and bring in the Karnataka batter to weather the storm because the game scenario required flexibility in the approach. It was a great success as Pandey and Venkatesh Iyer put up a commanding 83-run partnership that provided Kolkata with the foundation for a formidable total. While acknowledging that the hitters have improved, Starc emphasized the Impact Player’s significance in this.
The Impact Player rule modifies a few things. Having a batting and bowling XI allows everyone to bat much deeper. Because of the nature of the wickets and the grounds we play on here, this rule has been invoked frequently throughout the tournament and many big scores have been achieved. It’s a long batting lineup when you have batters and batting all-rounders coming in at Nos. 8 or 9.
When all you need to do to win the powerplay is clear the infield and score runs, there’s no need to be afraid. Don’t get me wrong, there has been some very excellent batting, but more than just the rules are involved. Some incredible runs, some incredible teamwork, and some solo batting mastery have all occurred.”
Friday was also Starc’s comeback game; before to this game, he had had a disappointing season. In addition to his difficulty getting wickets, KKR, who spent a huge sum of money on the Australian fast, were concerned about his high economy rate. In the match against the Mumbai Indians, the left-arm bowler scorched four wickets to allay any fears. Though he hasn’t yet reached his peak, Starc demonstrated why he is the most sought-after player in white-ball cricket. The Australian gave a direct response when asked what caused the shift in luck.
He remarked, “I haven’t changed all that much.” It’s about evaluating the situation following the opening innings. We did talk about it, and during that first innings, the batsmen who were removed acknowledged the wicket and the lengths that presented the greatest challenge. That produced our bowling schedule.”
Since T20 cricket doesn’t often go as planned, I naturally wanted things to go a little better from the beginning. Not every bowler, though, is aiming for runs like me. That’s just the way things are. We are playing some excellent cricket, placing second on the points table, and are advancing into the bigger games later on. Hopefully, I can be a part of it too.”
Starc has always been a delicate player in terms of fitness, and Cricket Australia has treated him like a baby over the years, which has kept him out of the IPL since 2016. To prolong his career in Australia, the 34-year-old has put his focus on international cricket rather than franchise leagues. But since this year is the T20 World Cup, Starc decided to rejoin the IPL, which led to an auction table record-breaking deal. Even though there is just roughly a week between the end of the IPL season and the World Cup, Starc is optimistic that his body can handle the change.
“It’s T20 cricket, it’s not as demanding as Test match cricket,” he stated. “It’s a great lead-up to play here in the world’s top T20 league, and there are no physical issues. Before the World Cup, you’re playing some excellent cricket; many of the players from this competition will represent their country in the World Cup.
“Seeing and testing your skills is a terrific thing in that aspect. That’s just a fact of life when it comes to international cricket. My primary goal is to perform in Lucknow in two days. Right now, the focus is on assisting KKR in winning the event as the World Cup is scheduled for next month.”
During the press conference, Starc wasn’t the only person to bring up the subject of Impact Players. Leg-spinner Piyush Chawla of the Mumbai Indians commended KKR for using the strategy to halt the significant batting collapse they were facing early in the innings.
“Venky and Manish deserve praise for their excellent batting. Additionally, KR would have acquired a bowler if they hadn’t lost so many wickets, which is why they employed the Impact Player rule. But when they lost so many wickets, Manish entered the game. He is a seasoned political activist. He simply batted in accordance with the circumstances and formed a strong alliance with Venky. It was an excellent collaboration.
The Mumbai Indians made a change to their Impact Player selection as well, designating former captain Rohit Sharma to enter the game in the second half. Up to this match, Suryakumar Yadav had been MI’s most influential player in the previous games. Chawla provided an explanation for the decision to switch to an impact player.
“He just had a mild back stiffness so it was just a precautionary thing.”
Chawla was forthright in acknowledging the Mumbai Indians’ incompetence in every area during the current IPL season. The five-time champions are almost eliminated from the postseason race after eight losses in their last 11 games. The veteran offered a highly philosophical response to the circumstances facing the team and declined to point the finger at any one subject as the cause of MI’s dismal season.
“I won’t say that the unit is failing; it’s not only the batting or the bowling. It’s no secret that momentum is essential in Twenty20 cricket, but this season we just couldn’t seem to build on it. Every team experiences it at some point. Anyone can experience it.”
