On 2 September 2025, Australian cricket supporters awoke to a post on the Australian Cricketers Association X feed stating that, potentially, one of Australia’s fiercest fast bowlers, Mitchell Starc, had just announced his retirement from T20 International cricket effective immediately.
Starc, who was 35 years old at the time, was looking to focus his efforts on playing Test cricket and preparing for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Starc’s announcement was a somewhat surprising choice, but it was also seen as long overdue. He is a long-term devotee to red-ball cricket and looking to build on his incredible legacy as one of Australia’s best all-format bowlers.
Stellar T20I Career
Mitchell Starc‘s T20I career was equally brilliant as his Test and ODI careers, but it has not received that level of coverage. Starc made his T20I debut in 2012 against Pakistan in Dubai and played a total of 65 T20 Internationals, taking 81 wickets at an average of 22.96, with an economy of 7.64.
He delighted fans with his ability to swing the brand-new ball, pitching close to 145kph, capable of bowling pinpoint yorkers. His best performance was playing with Australia when it won the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE. He took 10 wickets in the tournament, including 2/38 against South Africa in the Super 12 stage, which helped Australia to win the World Cup.
One of Starc’s most memorable moments in T20Is was defending 11 runs in the last over against the West Indies’ Andre Russell in 2019. It required skill and composure, and ultimately made for a thrilling win for Australia. Starc’s best T20I figures came against Sri Lanka in 2016, when he took 4/20, ripping through the order with devastating pace and late swing.
Starc finished his T20I career as Australia’s leading wicket-taker in T20Is among fast bowlers (at the time of his retirement) despite limited appearances (averaging six matches per year). Chief selector George Bailey said of Starc, “Mitch was crucial to our 2021 World Cup win and had a unique ability to blow games open with his wickets”.
Starc’s T20I career wasn’t without ups and downs. He took to the field for the final time as a T20I bowler against India at the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean. He had a rough day at the office and went for 45 runs in four overs. That was a reminder of how this format of cricket can throw up surprises.
Nevertheless, Starc’s overall T20I bowling record of 81 wickets in 65 matches, with 15 of those being two or more in a match, shows he was still a very potent weapon. His left-arm angle was a major factor that troubled the best batters, as well as his ability to bowl clutch death overs, in a format where spinners and medium pacers called the day.
Why retire now?
Starc’s decision stems from a hectic time for Australia and his clear focus on Test cricket. Starting in mid-2026, Australia will have one of the busiest Test schedules ever. A home series against Bangladesh, an away tour of SA, a four-match series against the Kiwis, and a test tour of India in January 2027.
This is not the end, then followed by a one-off 150th-anniversary Test against England and then an away Ashes series later that year. Starc will also have the 2027 ODI World Cup looming at the end of this schedule as a final frontier. He would love to win and join the elite group of Australians, Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, and Glenn McGrath, who have won three ODI World Cups.
Some critics, however, argue that the retirement is rushed. Starc’s depth of experience could have been useful during the 2026 T20 World Cup. Australia’s pace attack is already stretched with Pat Cummins injured with lumbar stress, and Nathan Ellis away on paternity leave.
A Sportskeeda analysis reported, “Starc has played an average of six T20Is per year,” and has continued to participate in various domestic T20 leagues with more focus on his Test and ODI format, including the IPL, where he has made over A$6.5million in the last two seasons.
This leads to questioning the workload management justification for Starc’s retirement. Starc is not alone in focusing on Test and ODIs, as the seniors of Australia’s squad, David Warner, retire from all formats, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, and Marcus Stoinis, have all retired from ODIs.
The bravery of prioritizing the slow-burning (Test) in the era of rush(T20)
In a time where T20 cricket is taking over the game around the world, Mitchell Starc’s loyalty to Test cricket is both comforting and continued bravery. While many countries see franchise leagues such as the IPL, BBL, SA20, and The Hundred take over, transforming cricket into an entertainment product, here is Starc willing to swim against the tide of T20.
The rise of T20 has led to an over-tired calendar with cricketers juggling leagues and international cricket, resulting in player burnout and less focus on the longer formats. With this in mind, Starc’s choice to stand down from T20Is, even though he had a successful record in it, was an unusual showing of dedication to the red-ball game.
Test cricket is the pinnacle, played over five days with skill, endurance, strategy, and patience. Starc’s pace, ability to swing the ball both ways, and ultimately, knack to deliver in times of need have made him a force in the format, with 400 Test wickets to illustrate it.
By selecting Tests over T20, Starc is an inspiration who pays homage to the game. He gives assurance that preservation of traditions is being upheld, and test cricket will have a future for those purists who worry about its future.
Starc certainly is a role model for other players to follow, as he doesn’t believe that T20 is the pinnacle of the future and future generations will know test cricket will exist in traditional forms.
Sagnik Banerjee 
Baishali Karmakar