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Australia pace spearhead Mitchell Starc said a sore ankle and his “personal views” were behind his decision to pull out of the Champions Trophy.
Starc was included in Australia’s squad but withdrew before the ODI tournament started, citing personal reasons, joining fellow pacemen Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood in missing the tournament.
The 35-year-old left-armer told the “Willow Talk” podcast that he had ankle pain through the Test series against Sri Lanka, which Australia won 2-0, but it was not the only factor.
“There are a few different reasons, some personal views,” Starc said.
“I had a bit of ankle pain through the test series, so I just need to get that one right. Obviously, we have the test final coming up and a West Indies tour after that.
“There is some IPL (Indian Premier League) cricket as well.
“But the main one at the top of my mind is the test final. Get my body right, play some cricket in the next couple of months and then ready to go for the test final.”
Defending champions Australia play South Africa in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s in June.
Starc did not elaborate on the personal views he was referring to regarding the Champions Trophy, which has returned to the crowded global cricket calendar after an eight-year hiatus.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) tournament is being played mostly in Pakistan under a heavy security blanket as the South Asian nation battles two insurgencies and a political crisis that sent its former prime minister and greatest cricket hero, Imran Khan, to jail.
The tournament has also come under fire for allowing India to play all their games in Dubai and avoid the travel demanded of other teams after the game’s dominant commercial power declined to play in Pakistan.
Australia will look to book a place in the semi-finals by beating Afghanistan in Lahore on Friday.
Reuters
