Australia’s left-arm pacer, Mitchell Starc, has completed 700 wickets in international cricket during the opening Test of the two-match series against Sri Lanka in Galle. The veteran became only the fourth Australian bowler and third pacer to register this feat across formats.
It has been a superb batting performance for Australia in the first innings after their standing captain, Steve Smith, won the toss and decided to bat first. The incredible double century from their opening batter, Usman Khawaja, put the platform for a huge score on the board, as he ended on the exceptional knock of 232 runs in 352 balls with the help of 16 boundaries and one six.
Smith also mastered a cracking hundred in the form of 141 runs, shouldering on 12 boundaries and a couple of sixes, while the debutant wicket-keeper batter, Josh Inglis, managed 102 runs in 94 deliveries, thanks to 10 boundaries and one six at the strike rate of 108.51. Australia declared on 654/6 in 154 overs.
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Mitchell Starc provided the visitors with the opening breakthrough towards the end of the second day’s play. The Sri Lankan opening batter, Dimuth Karunaratne, looked to punch the short ball from the backfoot. However, it bounced awkwardly to take the outside edge of his blade as Nathan McSweeney grabbed a fabulous catch in keeping his patience.
Mitchell Starc becomes the fourth Australian pacer to celebrate 700 international wickets
That was the 700th international wicket for Mitchell Starc, who overtook the former fast bowler of South Africa, Dale Steyn, who claimed 699 wickets in 342 innings at an average of less than 24 and a strike rate of 37, celebrating 29 five-wicket and five ten-wicket hauls at the best figure of 7/51.
The left-arm Australian pacer marked the record in his 373rd innings across formats. At the start of the third day’s play of the Galle Test, Starc found the lucky wicket of Kamindu Mendis, who was in supreme touch in the five-day format last year to be the ICC emerging player of the year 2024.
Mitchell Starc bowled a gentle half volley into his legs as Mendis looked to time the ball and edged it into the hands of the wicket-keeper. The New South Wales pacer now has 701 wickets in international cricket to be the fourth-most successful bowler for the national side in 373 innings at an average of 25.75 and a strike rate of 37.59 with the help of 24 five-wicket hauls.
The late great Shane Warne is leading the chart with 999 scalps, while his long-time bowling partner, Glenn McGrath, has found himself in the second position with 948 wickets at 21.75. Brett Lee is in the third position with 718 wickets, and it won’t be long for him to get dropped at number four.
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Mitchell Starc has also enjoyed 378 wickets in 181 innings at an average of 27.67 and a strike rate of 48.63, shouldering on 15 five-wicket hauls. In the 50-over format, the 35-year-old is the fourth-best bowler for Australia, with 244 scalps in 127 innings at an average of 23.40.
It wasn’t a smooth time for the pacer against India at home in the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 when he claimed just 18 wickets in ten innings at an average of 28.66 and a strike rate of 51.11 with one five-wicket haul. He was suffering from a back injury during the fourth Test of the series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) but pushed himself to the fifth New Year’s Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).