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Mitchell Starc crashes back to earth as Aussie cricket star caught in fresh $4.4m furore

Cricket fans are growing increasingly frustrated with the Aussie's performances in the IPL.

Sam Goodwin
·Sports Editor
·4-min read

Mitchell Starc is facing fresh backlash from cricket fans in India after he went wicketless for the third game in four attempts in the IPL. The Aussie star was signed to a $4.4 million contract by the Kolkata Knight Riders to play in the IPL for the first time in nine years this season.

But Starc has so far failed to justify the record-breaking contract - which is the largest amount ever given to a player in the IPL. The 34-year-old took 0-53 and 0-47 (both off four overs) in his first two games in the lucrative T20 tournament, before finally snagging his first wickets in his third game.

Mitchell Starc, pictured here in the IPL and with wife Alyssa Healy.
Mitchell Starc is playing in the IPL for the first time in nine years after previously opting to spend the time with wife Alyssa Healy. Image: IPL/Getty

He took the scalps of fellow Aussies David Warner and Mitchell Starc in that game, but on Monday night he crashed back to earth with another wicketless display. Starc returned figures of 0-29 off three overs as Kolkata were thrashed by Chennai Super Kings by seven wickets.

It marked the Knight Riders' first loss this IPL season, and it was the batting that let the side down more than Starc's bowling. After Ravindra Jadeja took 3-18 to restrict KKR to a modest total of 9-137, Chennai reached the target with more than two overs to spare.

Cricket fans unimpressed with latest Mitchell Starc performance

Starc started well enough, conceding just four runs in his first over. But his second went for 15, with Rachin Ravindra (15 of eight) cracking three fours in the over - one of which came from a rank full-toss outside his leg stump.

Ruturaj Gaekwad (67 not out off 58) and Daryl Mitchell (25 off 19) took the home side to 1-97. before Sunil Narine made the breakthrough by bowling the New Zealander with a well-disguised off-break. KKR captain Shreyas Iyer then brought Starc back into the attack hoping the left-armer would blast his way through the Super Kings' order and conjure up a comeback victory.

Mitchell Starc, pictured here in action for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.
Mitchell Starc in action for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. (AFP via Getty Images)

But both Gaekwad and impact substitute Shivam Dube (28 off 18) hit fours off Starc's third over as the Aussie conceded another 10 runs. That left Chennai needing just 29 from the last 36 balls, which they achieved with ease.

Starc has now conceded 154 runs in 16 overs bowled this tournament - a strike rate of nearly 10-an-over - for just two wickets. Fans are growing increasingly frustrated with the Aussie strike bowler, particularly considering how much money Kolkata forked out to sign him.

Can Mitchell Starc bounce back and find form in the IPL?

Starc is more than handy with the bat, but hasn't been contributing much on that front either. He made a duck on Monday night to go along with scores of six not out and one not out so far this tournament.

The Aussie veteran's return to the IPL has been nothing short of nightmarish so far after he chose to stay away from the T20 tournament for the past nine years. He hasn't played in the IPL since 2015 due to a number of injuries and a desire to spend more time at home with wife Alyssa Healy.

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The decision has cost him about $10 million, but his prioritisation of family and national cricket has seen him become one of Australia's finest fast bowlers. However all is not lost in the IPL - a competition that runs for a whopping seven weeks.

Starc has shown throughout his career that he can turn it on when the chips are down. And the Aussie veteran will be keen to put his best foot forward ahead of the T20 World Cup later this year.

with AAP