IPL 2024: Exclusive - Mitchell Starc Will Nurture Fast Bowlers, Asserts Former KKR Star

IPL 2024: One of the deadliest bowlers in cricketing history, Mitchell Starc, is finally back in the Indian Premier League (IPL) after 8 years. The Australian superstar has been brought by Kolkata Knight Riders in the mini-auction (KKR) for a whopping Rs 24.75 crore to bolster their pace attack.

The left-arm pacer, who played for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL back in 2014 and 2015, joined KKR before the 2018 season but couldn't play for the Kolkata-based franchise due to injury.

KKR Fast Bowlers Will Thrive Under Mitchell Starc: Bisla

Ahead of KKR's opening game of the IPL 2024 season, the team's 2012 IPL hero Manvinder Bisla while speaking with myKhel expressed his belief that KKR bowlers, including Andre Russell, Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana, and Chetan Sakariya, will thrive under the mentorship of Mitchell Starc.

Bisla stated, "If you observe them, you'll notice that these bowlers will also improve under Starc's guidance, as he will shoulder the pressure. Hence, I anticipate significant growth among the remaining fast bowlers."

KKR Pace Battery In IPL 2024

For the last couple of seasons, KKR heavily invested in fast bowlers, but none of them proved successful, whether it's Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Shardul Thakur, Pat Cummins, Shivam Mavi, Prasidh Krishna, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, or Harry Gurney.

Captain Shreyas Iyer desperately needs a fast bowler who can not only take wickets but also handle the death-over situation, and Mitchell Starc is the perfect answer. Highlighting the importance of the senior Aussie pacer, Bisla - the former KKR opener - also stated that the team was missing a lethal fast bowler. "They were missing a lethal fast bowler for a long time. They didn't have a specialist who could out-battle the other team," he added.

Mitchell Starc IPL Stats

In 27 IPL matches, he has claimed 34 wickets with an economy rate of 7.17. In IPL 2023, the Knight Riders showed inconsistency, securing the seventh position in the points table with six wins and eight losses. They aim for a more impressive performance this season.

Starc will be leading KKR's bowling attack as KKR will take on his compatriot Pat Cummins' Sunrisers Hyderabad at the iconic Eden Garden Stadium in Kolkata on Saturday (March 23).