A spell of ice and fire: Mitchell Starc burns through record books in his 100th Test

Mitchell Starc could not have imagined a more dramatic script while playing his 100th Test. The Australian left-arm pacer unleashed a record spell, taking 6 wickets for a mere 9 runs, achieving the best-ever bowling figures for a 100th Test appearance, bettering Muttiah Muralitharan's 6/54 in 2006. But this was only the start.

Starc became just the second bowler in the history of Tests to take three wickets in the first over of an innings — a feat previously pulled off by Irfan Pathan in 2006. In an astonishing 15-ball spell, Starc took a five-wicket haul — the quickest five-for in the history of Test cricket, eclipsing the earlier record of 19 balls shared between Ernie Toshack, Stuart Broad, and Scott Boland.

In a mere 4.3 overs, Starc had sealed the devastation. In the process, he also achieved the milestone of 400 Test wickets, becoming just the fourth Australian to the record after Warne, McGrath, and Lyon. His 400th was taken in merely 19,064 balls, making him the second-quickest in terms of deliveries bowled, behind only Dale Steyn.

This wasn’t just a bowling masterclass — it was Starc scripting a legacy under clear and sunny sky. The ball tailed in, swung late, and screamed menace — and the West Indies batters had no answers. Starc was not just celebrating a milestone; he was announcing that he’s far from done. In an era where fast bowlers are carefully managed and often rotated, Starc continues to defy time, rhythm, and sometimes even logic. His longevity is no less remarkable than his pace — still sharp, still lethal, still hungry. When Mitchell Starc runs in, there's always theatre. But in his 100th Test, he gave us a full-blown epic — a Game of Thrones-like carnage where the left-arm king reigned supreme.