The 36-year old Starc enjoyed a stellar 2025 in Tests, bagging 55 wickets in 11 games – the most for a bowler in that calendar year, underlined by Player of the Series-worthy exploits in West Indies and the home Ashes se
He brought his best to the fore during Australia’s 4-1 Ashes triumph, leading the attack with aplomb in the absence of Josh Hazlewood and skipper Pat Cummins for at least a majority, if not the entire series, returning 3
Starc is also in the rare league of fast bowlers to have featured in 100 or more Tests and currently sits on 433 wickets from 105 matches – one shy of Kapil Dev’s mark of 434 and six adrift of Steyn’s 439.
The 36-year old Starc enjoyed a stellar 2025 in Tests, bagging 55 wickets in 11 games – the most for a bowler in that calendar year, underlined by Player of the Series-worthy exploits in West Indies and the home Ashes series.
He brought his best to the fore during Australia’s 4-1 Ashes triumph, leading the attack with aplomb in the absence of Josh Hazlewood and skipper Pat Cummins for at least a majority, if not the entire series, returning 31 scalps at 19.94.
“It is cool and very humbling to be spoken about it with those guys.
But that stuff doesn’t mean a whole lot while you’re still playing.
Age has not slowed Starc down one bit, as he has continued to clock high speeds and bowl long spells to break games open for Australia.
Starc admits that a lot of his recent success has come down to a clearer mindset.
“I still moan and whinge about anything that goes wrong with or feels wrong.
Even heading into [the last] summer, it didn’t feel like it clicked until the day before the Ashes.
“But I think what’s been a feature of our group and led by Ron [Head Coach Andrew McDonald] and Pat, is that whether it’s a good day, bad day, good over, bad spell, it’s done.
“When you’re 36 and you’ve been around for 16 years, you’d like to think you’ve improved or got better at something,” Starc said.
“You’re also around that long because you’re able to develop and learn and improve.
I have a pretty clear mindset on it all.”
