Australia Pacer Mitchell Starc Performs Wicketkeeping Drill As Warm-Up, Pictures Go Viral

Mitchell Starc was rested for Australia's last league game against Bangladesh but opted for a warm-up drill.

Mitchell Starc of Australia warms up ahead of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup India 2023 between Australia and Bangladesh at MCA International Stadium on November 11, 2023 in Pune, India.

While Australia have already sealed a place in the semifinals, they have rested Mitchell Starc for their final league match against Bangladesh. (IMAGE CREDIT: Getty)

While the idea behind resting Starc was to avoid any injury and keep him fit for the knockout fixtures, Starc's choice of warm-up drill ahead of the match against Bangladesh wasn't very well-received by commentators including Simon Doull. (IMAGE CREDIT: Getty)

Starc chose to do a wicketkeeping drill and collected balls from even their fast bowlers, something which increase the likelihood of him getting injured.

“I know he’s probably getting keeping lessons at home from Alyssa Healy,” Doull said on commentary. “He was actually wicketkeeping this morning to the quick bowlers, and I thought, ‘That is fraught with danger’. You’ve got a couple of games left in the World Cup, and you’ve got the gloves on wicketkeeping to the quicks. If you get one on the finger, I just didn’t think that was overly smart.”

Starc was a wicketkeeper as a young player before he turned a pacer. He is married to Healy who keeps wickets for the Australian women's cricket team. Starc has picked 10 wickets in this World Cup so far. (Image Credit: Getty)