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‘I am comfortable with my decision,’ Mitchell Starc on skipping IPL 2025 last leg

‘I am comfortable with my decision,’ Mitchell Starc on skipping IPL 2025 last leg

‘I am comfortable with my decision,’ Mitchell Starc on skipping IPL 2025 last leg Photograph: (AFP)

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While a few returned to play the remainder of the season for their respective teams, including several Aussies like Travis Head and Pat Cummins for SRH and Josh Hazlewood (RCB), among others, Starc decided against returning.

Aussie quick Mitchell Starc opened up on missing the last leg of the just-concluded IPL 2025. Representing Delhi Capitals this year - his third IPL team in as many seasons in the cash-rich league, the left-arm seamer decided against returning following a nine-day break caused by escalating cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan. Having earlier skipped the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan for personal reasons, Starc said he is comfortable with his decisions and how he felt about the whole situation.

After India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ on its neighbours in response to the Pahalgam terror attack led by Pakistan-based terrorists, the BCCI and the IPL suspended the tournament midway, asking all overseas players to fly home. However, after a ceasefire agreement between the two countries a couple of days later, the stakeholders and the Indian board decided to resume it shortly.

Upon considering all factors, the tournament began after nine days, further complicating franchise league and international commitments for plenty of foreign players. While a few returned to play the remainder of the season for their respective teams, including several Aussies like Travis Head and Pat Cummins for SRH and Josh Hazlewood (RCB), among others, Starc decided against returning.

Although a lack of clarity over the tournament's future held him back, Starc's aim to prepare for the upcoming 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) Final against South Africa was the other reason. Speaking for the first time since skipping the IPL 2025 last leg, Starc said,

"I’m comfortable with my decision and how I felt about the whole situation and how it was handled. That’s why I made my decision post-that, and my focus changed to red-ball cricket for about a week prior to coming over here. Time will tell with repercussions or how it looks with guys that didn’t return. But I’ve had my questions and concerns leading into that game, and obviously, we saw what happened, which played a part in my decision.”

"There was a little bit of that to my decision around the Champions Trophy in Pakistan. And then once the tournament was delayed, you start to think about guys’ preparation for the Test match," he continued in a chat with the Sydney Morning Herald.

‘I am committed to the Delhi group’

Among the two Aussie players who decided against returning were opener Jake Fraser-McGurk and Starc, and looking back at this, Starc feels it’s an individual decision, and he’s happy to accept whatever comes with it. The fast bowler, however, echoed his commitment towards his IPL

franchise.

"Things were handled differently for different players and different teams. The guys up in Dharamsala, the Punjab guys, were part of that, and while both teams had similar experiences up there, all those guys returned for Punjab, and Jake Fraser-McGurk and I chose not to. So it was a very individual decision, and I’m happy to live with whatever comes of that," he continued.

“I’m still heavily committed to the Delhi group, and I’m not someone that’s gone into tournaments and pulled out after being picked up in an auction or whatever that looks like. These are different circumstances.

“It was more a question of not having enough information leading into making a decision about things of that degree. I had a discussion back home, then came to a decision, and whatever comes from that, I’m comfortable with that, and we move forward," he concluded.