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Stars can adapt to schedule squeeze: Starc

3 minute read

Mitchell Starc says he and other Australian stars will find a way to prepare for the Ashes, even if they are forced to miss a one-off Test against Afghanistan.

MITCHELL STARC of Australia.
MITCHELL STARC of Australia. Picture: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Mitchell Starc is confident Australia will find a way to gain sufficient red-ball preparation for this summer's Ashes, regardless of whether he and fellow multi-format stars play a one-off Test against Afghanistan or not.

The Twenty20 World Cup final is in the UAE on November 14, while November 27 marks the start of Australia's home summer and a Test in Hobart against Afghanistan.

Add in a fortnight of hotel quarantine and Cricket Australia (CA) will likely require exemptions for Starc, Pat Cummins and and other high-profile players to take part in the Ashes tune-up.

"It's a very interesting one. I'm sure CA are certainly thinking about it and putting plans in place. The way of the world at the moment, it throws up a lot of hurdles," Starc told reporters.

"There's been past summers when we haven't had tour games, warm-up games or Shield games before starting a Test match series.

"There's been some really tight turnarounds ... we've had to improvise and make sure we get a little bit of red-ball bowling in around white-ball preparations.

"It's not something that is foreign or new.

"The multi-format players have all played cricket for quite a while and probably experienced the same situation, albeit in slightly different circumstances."

Starc is nonetheless hopeful that CA will obtain exemptions allowing players to take part in the Afghanistan Test while quarantining, pointing to this year's Gabba Test.

"Brisbane was under full quarantine, so there's certainly a precedent set there," the left-armer said.

"The Queensland government was fantastic in looking after both teams.

"The result didn't go our way but in terms of quarantine and putting on a Test match in Australia, that was fantastic from the Queensland government."

One major difference is that Australia and India had been in the country for over a month prior to arriving in Brisbane, and remained in hotel lockdown in Sydney before the Brisbane Test as part of the deal with the Queensland government.

Starc, among Australia's enlarged squad currently in St Lucia, is happy to let administrators take care of the conundrum as he sets his focus on the five-match T20 series against West Indies that begins on Friday (Saturday AEST).

Australia will then play five T20s in Bangladesh as they finalise selections and strategies for the World Cup.

Starc, who has repeatedly opted out of the lucrative IPL since 2015, is feeling refreshed.

"One of the reasons I didn't go to the IPL is to make sure I was ready to go - mentally and physically prepared to play - for Australia," the spearhead said.

"And not opt out of tours.

"It was a nice break, I had four weeks completely off."

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