Left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc has been given the green signal to play in the ongoing IPL season by Cricket Australia after recovering from elbow and shoulder injuries. The Australian pacer might play for DC against the Rajasthan Royals on the 1st of May. The left-arm pacer hasn’t played for Australia since late January. Starc excelled with the ball during the 2025-26 Ashes series in Australia, claiming 31 wickets in 5 tests.

He helped the Sydney Sixers reach the 2025-26 BBL final. He played five games for the franchise in the entire tournament.  During the BBL, he injured his elbow and shoulder while taking a catch. Earlier, there was some confusion about why the left-arm pacer wasn’t playing in the IPL, due to which Starc gave his explanation on social media on why he wasn’t available.

During a bowling session in Sydney, Starc looked comfortable and is expected to play for DC against RR on the 1st of May in Jaipur. The 36-year-old will need time to adjust to the conditions after arriving in India. Starc is expected to play in the remaining fixtures of the IPL.

 His teammate and Australia ODI & Test captain, Pat Cummins, will play for SRH against RR on Saturday, the 25th of April, in Jaipur, after recovering from a lower back injury. Cummins will play for the first time since December 2025, when he got injured during the Ashes.

Cricket Australia would have heaved a sigh of relief after pacers Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood recovered from injuries as the Australian team undergoes a hectic schedule in the next 18 months.

The team will play 20 tests between August 2026 and August 2027. Next year the team will also play in the 2027 limited-overs World Cup that would be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.