India’s veteran wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik has tipped Mitchell Starc as the best white-ball bowler in the world. Starc claimed 5-53 in the second ODI at Vizag against India as he breathed down the neck of the opposition batters.
The left-arm pacer got the ball to move both ways to savor success. Starc dismissed Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill with the ball going away whereas he plumbed Suryakumar Yadav and KL Rahul in front of the wickets with the ball coming back. He accounted for Mohammed Siraj at the fag end of the innings.
This was Starc’s ninth five-wicket haul in ODIs and his first in the Indian conditions as he played a key role in skittling out India at 117.
“Imagine Suryakumar Yadav, I feel for him, two first-balls, I’m sure a lot of people will be saying, ‘Oh, he’s not making use of his opportunities’. It’s not true. To get out first ball means you are out before you’re set. It can happen to anybody,” said Karthik on Cricbuzz.
“He (Starc) is arguably the best white-ball bowler in the world right now. To come and receive such balls first up, it’s hard. You put anybody there, more often than not, they will get out first ball. We need to cut some slack for batters who get out to quality left-armers,” Karthik added.
Karthik added that the likes of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Trent Boult, and Mitchell Starc have different skill sets and no left-arm Indian bowler has the same ability currently.
“The skill that goes behind Shaheen Afridi, Trent Boult, Mitchell Starc is different boss. If the bowler had the skill, he would be playing for India! Why would he be bowling in the nets? It is not an easy skill. Add to that, you’re playing international cricket, and it’s a different ball game,” said Karthik.
Starc was brilliant in his spell as he was right on the money from the get-go. The 33-year-old from Sydney has scalped 219 wickets in 109 ODI matches at an average of 21.79.
The third and final ODI will be played at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on Wednesday.
