Sydney, Sep 5 Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc said his recent decision to retire from T20Is was aimed at preserving his body for Test cricket. He also revealed that he considered giving up one of the two white-ball formats but opted to continue in ODIs with an eye on playing the 2027 World Cup.
Starc, who made his T20 international debut in 2012, announced his retirement from the shorter format last week to extend his Test career and set his sights on the 2027 ODI World Cup.
"For lack of a better term, I want to milk my body as much as I can for as much Test cricket as possible. That was never going to be off the table. I just felt like one of the other (formats) had to give."
"I feel like I've got plenty to offer the ODI team and with that goal of getting my body to 2027 – but also being good enough to be in that team for the World Cup in 2027. I felt like this was my best opportunity to prolong my Test career and get to that World Cup.
"If I wasn't going to be in the frame for 2027 then I didn't want to hold up the spot. I still feel like I've got plenty to offer that ODI team. I'd thought about it for a while. I feel like it was probably a good time. I'm 35 now, Tests have always been my priority and they will remain my priority," Starc was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au on Friday.
He also feels the Australia T20I team is in a great spot in their build-up to the next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. "The T20 team seems pretty settled with the guys that have come in, they've done some great stuff."
"Nathan Ellis is flying, Ben Dwarshuis has played a great role, Spencer (Johnson) has done some good stuff when he's played, Sean Abbott as well. I feel like that team is in a great spot and I don't need to interrupt that."
Starc signed off by saying he could have informed skipper Mitchell Marsh in advance about his T20I retirement. "I probably should have rang Mitchy. He texted me and said he found out through Instagram. I felt bad about that one - I didn't tell the captain."
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