History of Mitchell Starc in Timeline

Mitchell Starc is an Australian international cricketer, known for his left-arm fast bowling. He represents the Australian national team and New South Wales in domestic cricket. As a lower-order left-handed batsman, Starc is a valuable all-around player. He stands out as Australia's fourth-highest wicket-taker in both Test and One Day International (ODI) cricket, highlighting his significant contributions to Australian cricket.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

1929: Sheffield Shield match of Hal Hooker

In 1929, Hal Hooker achieved the feat of taking 2 hat-tricks in the same Sheffield Shield match.

1975: Strike-rate record

Mitchell Starc's bowling strike-rate in the 2015 Cricket World Cup of 17.4 balls per wicket was the best of any bowler in a World Cup since the inaugural 1975 Cricket World Cup.

1978: Last time feat achieved anywhere in the world

Before 2017, the last time 2 hat-tricks were achieved in the same Sheffield Shield match, anywhere in the world, was in 1978.

January 1990: Mitchell Starc's Birth

On 30 January 1990, Mitchell Aaron Starc was born. He is an Australian international cricketer known for playing for the Australian national team and New South Wales in domestic cricket.

Others born on this day/year

2008: Starc gets rookie contract with New South Wales

In 2008, Mitchell Starc received a rookie contract with New South Wales for the summer season, marking an early step in his professional career.

2008: Record held by Shane Harwood

In 2008, Shane Harwood set the record for the most wickets in a season in Australian domestic one-day cricket in the 2008–09 Ford Ranger One Day Cup. This was later broken by Mitchell Starc in 2015.

February 2009: Starc joins New South Wales squad

In February 2009, Mitchell Starc was brought into the New South Wales squad to replace Aaron Bird after Bird was suspended due to an illegal bowling action, providing Starc with a significant opportunity.

March 2009: Starc makes his first-class debut

On 5 March 2009, Mitchell Starc made his first-class debut in New South Wales' final match of the season against Western Australia. The match ended in a draw, and New South Wales finished at the bottom of the ladder for the 2008-09 Sheffield Shield season.

2009: Starc rejects Western Australia's offer

In 2009, Western Australia approached Mitchell Starc to recruit him for their team in the 2009-10 season; however, he decided to stay with New South Wales, with whom he already had a contract.

October 2010: Starc Makes International Debut

In late 2010, Mitchell Starc was chosen as a late replacement for the injured Josh Hazlewood in Australia's tour of India. On 20 October 2010, Starc made his international debut in a One Day International (ODI) against India, but he did not bat and was wicketless.

2010: Starc began playing international cricket

In 2010, Mitchell Starc started his international cricket career. However, the early part of his career was affected by continuous injuries.

2010: Starc selected for Australian Institute of Sport

In 2010, Mitchell Starc was selected to play for the Australian Institute of Sport, where his bowling played a key role in the team winning the Emerging Players Twenty20 Trophy against teams from India, New Zealand, and South Africa.

December 2011: Starc debuts in Test cricket

On 1 December 2011, Mitchell Starc made his Test debut for Australia in the first Test against New Zealand, receiving his baggy green from Richie Benaud and taking two wickets in the match.

2011: Starc's contention for Test debut

In 2011, Mitchell Starc became a contender for a Test cricket debut. He took two five-wicket hauls against Queensland in November. He was selected to play for Australia A in a warm-up match against New Zealand at the end of November. During this match, he was announced as part of Australia's team for the first Test match against New Zealand.

2011: Occurence since 2011

In 2011, Mitchell Starc hadn't played in two consecutive matches in a series since then. This was mentioned in the context of his selection for the fifth and final match of the 2013 Ashes series.

2011: Starc selected for Australia A and injured

In 2011, Mitchell Starc was selected to play for Australia A in a warm-up match against England ahead of the 2010-11 Ashes series. However, he suffered a side-strain injury during a Sheffield Shield match, which ruled him out for four weeks, causing him to miss the Australia A match and the Ashes consideration. Later in 2011, he was selected again for Australia A for a tri-series in Zimbabwe.

April 2012: Starc Returns to National Squad, Visa Issues in UK

In April 2012, Mitchell Starc returned to the national squad for the Test series in the West Indies. After the series, he was signed by Yorkshire County Cricket Club for a five-week contract in the 2012 County Championship, set to begin on 9 May. However, upon arrival in the UK, Starc was detained and deported due to visa issues and had to return to Australia before flying back to England, missing his first match.

September 2012: Starc named player of the series against Afghanistan and Pakistan

In September 2012, Mitchell Starc earned the player of the series award during Australia's series against Afghanistan and Pakistan. He won man of the match in the first two games. He recovered from a side/chest injury to help Australia win the series.

2012: Starc plays in Big Bash League

In 2012, after being left out of the Test squad against India, Mitchell Starc played for the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League, where he delivered a man-of-the-match performance against the Sydney Thunder, taking three wickets.

2012: Starc wins Champions League Twenty20

In 2012, before the Australian summer, Mitchell Starc played in the Champions League Twenty20 for the Sydney Sixers, winning the tournament undefeated. He was named player of the tournament, finishing as the leading wicket-taker with 14 wickets.

2013: Starc faces ankle spur

In 2013, Mitchell Starc experienced calf soreness during the ODI series against Sri Lanka. A bone spur was discovered in his ankle, which he chose to forgo surgery on and opted out of the 2013 IPL player auction. He scored 99 runs in the 3rd Test of Australia's tour of India, and later had surgery and recovered in time for the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy and Ashes series.

2013: Starc plays in the Ashes series

In 2013, Mitchell Starc participated in the Ashes series. He played in the first match but was dropped for the second. He returned for the third match, contributing with key wickets due to reverse swing. Despite his efforts, inconsistency and inaccuracy remained issues, and he was later diagnosed with a stress fracture, sidelining him for the home summer.

2013: Starc returns to shorter formats

In the second half of the 2013/14 season, Mitchell Starc returned to Australia's team in the shorter ODI and Twenty20 formats after recovering from a back injury.

October 2014: Starc returns to Australian Test side

In October 2014, Mitchell Starc returned to the Australian Test side after recovering from a back injury. This return occurred during Australia's series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.

October 2014: Starc returns to Test team

In October 2014, Mitchell Starc returned to the Test team for Australia's series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates. He also played for New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield after the 2nd Test match.

2014: Phillip Hughes incident

In 2014, Mitchell Starc was present at the match where Phillip Hughes was struck by a ball and later died, an event that resurfaced in his mind when he concussed Eoin Morgan in 2015.

2014: Signed by Royal Challengers Bangalore and altercation with Kieron Pollard

In 2014, Starc was signed by the Royal Challengers Bangalore to play in the 2014 IPL. He took two diving catches near the boundary and was involved in an altercation with Mumbai batsman Kieron Pollard, resulting in fines for both players and negative public reaction.

June 2015: Starc Tours West Indies

In June 2015, Mitchell Starc participated in Australia's tour of the West Indies, returning to red-ball cricket. He took 10 wickets at an average of 16.00. After the West Indies series, Australia went to England for the 2015 Ashes series.

December 2015: Starc has foot surgery

In December 2015, Mitchell Starc had foot surgery to address a stress fracture he sustained during a match against New Zealand. This surgery impacted his availability for upcoming tournaments.

2015: Starc dominates Matador BBQs One-Day Cup

In 2015, Mitchell Starc dominated the Matador BBQs One-Day Cup, playing for New South Wales. He helped New South Wales win the tournament, taking 26 wickets. Starc was named player of the series. This broke the record for the most wickets in a season in Australian domestic one-day cricket.

2015: Starc finishes 2015 calendar year

In 2015, Mitchell Starc finished the year playing in Australia's Test series against New Zealand. During the first match, he was fined for throwing the ball at Mark Craig. In the second Test, he bowled the fastest ball recorded in Test cricket, measured at 160.4 km/h. He also had to leave the field on the first day of the inaugural day-night Test match due to a stress fracture in his foot. Starc finished 2015 as the best-performing bowler of the year in international cricket.

2015: Starc participates in the 2015 Cricket World Cup

In 2015, Mitchell Starc participated in the Cricket World Cup hosted in Australia and New Zealand. He took two wickets against England in the first match. He took 6 wickets against New Zealand. Despite his efforts, New Zealand won the match. He became the first Australian to take 6 wickets in an ODI on multiple occasions.

2015: Starc helps Australia win Carlton Mid Triangular Series

In 2015, Mitchell Starc played a crucial role in Australia's victory in the Carlton Mid Triangular Series against India and England. He was named player of the match in both matches. He reached a career total of 59 ODI wickets, achieving a world record strike-rate for players with over 50 wickets.

2015: Starc's World Cup Win and Player of the Tournament Award

In 2015, Mitchell Starc played a prominent role in the Australian squad that won the 2015 Cricket World Cup. Due to his consistent performances throughout the matches, Starc was declared Player of the Tournament. He was also a part of the team that won the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup.

2015: Starc plays in ODI series against England

In 2015, Mitchell Starc played in an ODI series against England. His ankle injury from earlier in the tour became aggravated again, revealing bone spurs. Starc bowled a ball which struck England captain Eoin Morgan on the side of his helmet and forced him to retire hurt due to concussion.

2015: ODI series against New Zealand, World Cup

In 2015, Starc played in an ODI series against New Zealand, marking his return to the country since the 2015 World Cup. However, he struggled to replicate his previous form, despite recovering from a foot injury.

2015: Starc's impact on Bangalore's performance

In 2015, Starc's return to Royal Challengers Bangalore after a knee injury turned the team's performance around, leading them to win six of their next seven matches, and Starc finished the tournament with 20 wickets.

2015: Bowling action in 2015 World Cup

Starc adjusted his bowling action to reduce pain, and as a result he couldn't get the ball to swing as much, but made adjustments to bring his bowling action closer to what it had been in the 2015 World Cup.

2015: Performance in 2015 World Cup

Starc was seen as a very important part of Australia's chances at the 2019 Cricket World Cup because of his performance in 2015.

October 2016: Starc rested for South Africa tour

In October 2016, Mitchell Starc was rested for Australia's tour of South Africa to prepare for the home summer.

2016: Starc returns to Australia squad

In 2016, Mitchell Starc returned to Australia's squad after recovering from foot surgery, being named in the squad for the West Indies Tri-Series in June. He got through the series without any ankle pain and with much more flexibility in his ankle than before his surgery.

2016: Starc's surgery and unavailability for events

In 2016, Mitchell Starc was initially intended to delay surgery for his ankle spurs until after Australia's tour of New Zealand and the 2016 World Twenty20, but after meeting with specialists it was determined that it was best for him to have the surgery, making him unavailable for both of these events.

2016: Missed IPL in 2016

Starc missed the IPL in 2016 because of a foot fracture injury

February 2017: Parted ways with Royal Challengers Bangalore

In February 2017, Starc parted ways with Royal Challengers Bangalore in order to reduce his workload and focus on his fitness for the upcoming 2017 ICC Champions Trophy.

2017: Starc takes hat-tricks in Sheffield Shield

In 2017, Starc played in the Sheffield Shield season for New South Wales, achieving career-best figures of 8/73. He also became the first bowler to take a hat-trick in each innings of a Sheffield Shield match since 1929, and the first time the feat had ever been achieved in Australia. Starc was named player of the match for both performances.

2017: Bangladesh tour rescheduled

In 2017, the tour of Bangladesh that was originally scheduled was rescheduled.

2018: Changes to bowling action

In 2018, after a long break from cricket, Starc worked with bowling coach David Saker on his bowling action, making adjustments to recapture the swing he had in the 2015 World Cup.

2018: South Africa tour and ball-tampering scandal

In 2018, during Australia's tour of South Africa, Starc took 9 wickets in the first Test and won Man of the Match. He had disagreements with his captain, Steve Smith, regarding bowling strategies. The series was overshadowed by the Australian ball-tampering scandal, though Starc was not found to be involved. Smith received a 12-month ban, straining his relationship with Starc.

2018: Border–Gavaskar Trophy series against India

In the 2018-19 Border–Gavaskar Trophy series against India, Starc struggled for form and faced heavy criticism, including from Shane Warne. He focused on bowling at high pace instead of swing, resulting in a return to form in the following Test series against Sri Lanka.

March 2019: Injury during India tour

In March 2019, scans revealed that Starc had torn his left pectoral muscle, making him unavailable for Australia's tour of India.

April 2019: Named in Australia's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup

In April 2019, Starc was named in Australia's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup, marking his return to cricket after recovering from injury.

June 2019: Starc's record-breaking performance at the Cricket World Cup

On June 29, 2019, in the match against New Zealand, Starc became the first bowler to take three five-wicket hauls at the Cricket World Cup. He finished the tournament with 27 dismissals, an all-time record.

July 2019: Named in Australia's squad for the 2019 Ashes series in England

In July 2019, Starc was named in Australia's squad for the 2019 Ashes series in England, where he played only one game, taking 4 wickets.

2019: Starc sets record for most wickets in Cricket World Cup

During the 2019 Cricket World Cup, Mitchell Starc claimed 27 wickets, setting a record for the most wickets taken in a single edition of the tournament. By achieving this, he became the leading wicket-taker in successive Cricket World Cup tournaments, after previously achieving it in 2015.

July 2020: Named in preliminary squad for tour to England

On 16 July 2020, Starc was named in a 26-man preliminary squad of players to begin training ahead of a possible tour to England following the COVID-19 pandemic.

August 2020: Confirmed in touring party for England

On 14 August 2020, Cricket Australia confirmed that the fixtures would be taking place, with Starc included in the touring party to England.

November 2020: Nomination for ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Decade award

In November 2020, Starc was nominated for the ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Decade award.

August 2021: 50 wickets in T20I cricket

In August 2021, Starc became the first bowler for Australia to take 50 wickets in T20I cricket in the first match against Bangladesh. Later that month, he was named in Australia's squad for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

2021: Starc wins ICC T20 World Cup

In 2021, Mitchell Starc was a key member of the Australian team that won the ICC T20 World Cup, adding another achievement to his career.

2021: Starc named in Ashes series Test squad

In 2021, Starc was named in the Ashes series Test squad. He performed throughout the series, with both the ball and bat, scoring runs as a capable lower-order batsman and picked up 19 wickets in 5 matches, which assisted the Australian cricket team to retain the Ashes and win the series 4–0.

November 2023: Starc ranked 3rd-highest wicket taker in ICC Cricket World Cups

As of November 2023, Mitchell Starc is recognized as the 3rd-highest wicket taker of all time in ICC Cricket World Cups, marking a significant milestone in his career.

2023: Starc wins ICC World Test Championship final

In 2023, Mitchell Starc was an essential part of the Australian team that won the ICC World Test Championship final. He is one of only five players to have won an ICC trophy in all three formats of the game.

2023: 2023 Cricket World Cup Winning squad

In 2023, Starc was part of the Cricket World Cup winning squad in India. He picked overall 16 wickets in 10 matches played, including crucial performances in the semifinal and final.

May 2024: Named in Australia's squad for the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup tournament

In May 2024, Starc was named in Australia's squad for the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup tournament. In the Super-8 match against India, he conceded 29 runs in an over to Rohit Sharma which became his career-most expensive over.

July 2025: Starc ranked 4th-highest wicket-taking bowler for Australia in Test cricket

As of July 2025, Mitchell Starc is ranked as the 4th-highest wicket-taking bowler for Australia in Test cricket, showcasing his continued success.

July 2025: Starc plays his 100th test and collects his 400th wicket

In July 2025, during Australia's test series win over the West Indies, Starc played his 100th test and collected his 400th wicket. He also took six wickets, including a five-wicket haul in 15 balls, the fastest in history.

September 2025: Starc announces retirement from T20Is

On 2 September 2025, Starc announced his retirement from T20Is, citing that he wanted to focus on a "heavy Test and ODI World Cup".

2025: Franchises he has played for

As of 2025, the only three franchises Starc has played for are Royal Challengers Bangalore , Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals. He joined the Knight Riders for a record-breaking transfer.