Mitchell Starc's injury delays his IPL 2026 debut for Delhi Capitals, as he addresses criticism and focuses on recovery, leaving Mukesh Kumar and T Natarajan to lead the pace attack.
Key Points
- Mitchell Starc is expected to miss at least three more IPL 2026 matches for Delhi Capitals due to a shoulder and elbow injury.
- Starc has responded to criticism, clarifying that his absence is due to injury rehabilitation, not a lack of commitment to the IPL.
- The Delhi Capitals' pace attack is currently led by Mukesh Kumar and T Natarajan in Starc's absence.
Delhi Capitals have started their IPL 2026 campaign on a high but their star pacer, Mitchell Starc is still not back.
The Axar Patel-led side has won both their opening games against Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians but without Starc, the responsibility of leading the pace attack has fallen on Mukesh Kumar and T Natarajan.
And it looks like the wait for their star pacer isn’t ending anytime soon. According to a report in The Times of India, Starc could miss at least three more matches and may only join the squad after April 20. That means he is likely to sit out key games against Gujarat Titans, Chennai Super Kings, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Starc Responds to Criticism
Starc, meanwhile, has responded to criticism around his delayed arrival. He made it clear that his absence is purely down to managing injuries, not a lack of commitment.
‘Despite the opinions and views of certain individuals with their platforms in and through the Indian media, I'm currently rehabbing and managing an injury in my shoulder and elbow of which I didn't know the extent of during the Australian summer,’ he said.
‘These individuals have made some strong statements around involvement in the IPL and provided heavily misinformed opinions of players, preached them as facts, and claim to know my body better than me,’ he added.
The 36-year-old, who picked up 14 wickets last season, also apologised to the franchise and fans for missing the start of the tournament.
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