India vs Australia: Will Mitchell Starc turn fortunes for visitors in 3rd Test?

The third Test of the four-match series starts in Indore from March 1 and will be Australia’s final chance to launch a comeback. Australia are currently trailing 2-0 after two miserable defeats in Nagpur and Delhi respectively in the first two Tests.

Mitchell Starc set to return for Australia:

Mitchell Starc has missed the first two matches with a finger injury. He has been out since the Boxing Day Test last year but will be returning after the injury lay-off. The player revealed he still has ‘some sort of discomfort’ but will be playing through that.

“If I only played when I was at 100% I would have only played five or 10 Tests,” Starc said before that match. “I’m happy with where it’s at and I’ve built up enough of a pain threshold to deal with that stuff over the last 10 or 12 years.”

The Australian pacer also says that his work to gain full mobility of his fingers is in process and hopes to return to full fitness in the next few days. With Pat Cummins out of the 3rd Test due to family reasons, Starc will be replacing the Australian captain and will play the role of Australia’s lone fast bowler.

Can Starc change the fortunes of Australia?

Australia’s disastrous outing against India is down to many reasons. The role of a fast bowler has mostly been a peripheral one in this series so far, and one can expect more or less the same pattern will follow in the remainder of the series.

Starc will be a fresh boost that’s for sure, as his bowling will bring some added lethality in the Australian attack. But will a semi-fit Mitchell Starc do owners for the visitors? That remains a huge ask.

Ind vs Aus: Australia Probable XI for the 3rd Test vs India

The 33-year-old has 304 Test wickets to his name. He has 42 wickets against India in 15 Test matches. But more than his bowling skills, perhaps his batting prowess will play a bigger part here.

Mitchell Starc Batting Record vs India:

Starc has 1845 Test runs at an average of 22, something pretty decent for a premier fast bowler of a team.

He has an even better average of 29.33 when it comes against India, scoring 3 fifties in the 23 innings that he has played against the Indian team. And for Australia, the bigger boost will be his batting record in India – where his average rises even more to around 33.

If the southpaw can replicate his previous form in this series, the Aussies can breathe a sigh of relief as their lower order has just made a sorry surrender so far in this series. It has to be seen how Starc deals with the duo of Ravi Ashwin and Ravi Jadeja, but at least the previous stats can bring some fresh air to the Australian team management.

In a nutshell, Starc’s arrival can work in favour of the visitors. They need someone to hang around with the bat and his batting skills can definitely play a big part for them. With the ball, it will depend on the pitch and Steve Smith’s approach. With the new ball, if Starc can provide some magic, that will aid his team even more.