Mitchell Starc looks ahead to IPL with one eye on T20 World Cup 2024

Mitchell Starc became the most expensive player in Indian Premier League (IPL) history attracting a bid of INR 24.75 crore with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) securing his services for the upcoming season. Starc has not been involved with the IPL since turning up for them in 2014 and 2015, and with the T20 World Cup coming up in June 2024, the left-arm pacer hopes that the cash-rich league will help him prepare well for the marquee event in US and West Indies.

"There's a World Cup coming up, and a place that in recent times us the Australian group, have spent a lot of time is in India, and obviously most recently with the ODI World Cup and having some fond memories there, particularly at Eden Gardens in the semi-finals. So a player I look forward to being back as a home player and [to] a home fan base," Starc told Jio Cinema.

His international captain Pat Cummins was bought for INR 20.50 by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) just moments before Starc's name popped up at the auction. Starc is hopeful that he can fill Cummins' boots well at the franchise.

"A few teams were looking to bolster their pace attacks and there's a plethora of brilliant skill sets and names on the auction list tonight, and obviously Pat being one of them... not sure where I was going end up, but as I said, really thrilled to be part of KKR. It's a team that Pat was at, so hopefully I can fill his boots there and, yeah, be very successful," Starc, who had 34 wickets from 27 matches in the tournament, said.

Starc also revealed that his teammates in the Australian camp were over the moon for both him and Cummins and expect a dinner and drinks treat from them. Australia are currently in the middle of a Test series against Pakistan at home.

"Our Test squad WhatsApp group's been going off, letting us know that I think it's our shout for dinner and drinks. So it might be a costly little trip to Melbourne for us for the Boxing Day Test," the 33-year-old said. 

"But yeah, we've managed to find some luck tonight, and yeah, pretty, pretty special night for the both of us, I think."