Australian quick Mitchell Starc suffered an injury scare on day three of the Boxing Day Test against India at the MCG, putting his participation in the remainder of the series under a dark cloud. Though the 34-year-old appeared to have pulled up sometime during the first two sessions, having played four Tests on the trot now, his teammate and fellow pacer Scott Boland expects ‘tough guy’ Starc to remain fit for the MCG cracker.

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Starc bowled through pain in the first two sessions on Saturday (Dec 28), but after returning to the attack following tea, he clocked over 140 kmph, though he held his back during this.

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Boland reckons despite the team doctor working on him for the final hour, Starc would take his time before rejoining Captain Pat Cummins and Boland for the final innings against India at the 'G'.  

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"He's okay. I think he's just had a bit of a niggle in his back or rib, but he came out after the (tea) break and was bowling 140 (kmph), so I think he'll be fine," Boland said to the ABC reporters after the third day’s play. "Playing a Test match is pretty hard on your body, and he's played all four Tests so far. I think he's just a little bit stiff in his back."

Been there, done that

Two years ago, against South Africa during the Boxing Day Test, Starc bowled with a broken thumb and won the game for his country, gaining a reputation of a tough guy. Speaking on the same lines, Boland said he is confident that Starc would be returning to his best for India’s second innings and pushing the host for a plausible win.

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"I think he's underrated for how tough he is," Boland said. "A couple of years ago here at the MCG he had a broken finger and we were planning for him not to bowl at all – and then he came out and bowled 140k swingers.

"He's someone who can play through a lot of pain. You can tell he's played (93) Test matches now. As a fast bowler, there's not many Tests you play without any niggle at all. He's someone who can still bowl the same pace even when he is really sore – which is a great trait to have,” he continued.

Meanwhile, should Starc fail to recover from a potential niggle for the remainder of the series, Australia would be without two of their premier seamers – Starc and Josh Hazlewood, who is out for side strain, mounting pressure on the hosts. 

Though they have Jhye Richardson and Seam Abbott as reserves, with Brendan Doggett also shadowing the Aussie team for the first three Tests, Australia will have to take a call to decide who replaces Starc in the XI. Given Doggett and Abbott haven't made their Test debuts, Richardson remains the only capped option for the hosts. 

(With inputs from agencies)