Starc’s future clouded by ankle injury

Australia will continue to play Mitchell Starc despite the fact the fast bowler could need surgery on his ankle injury.

“My understanding of Starc is that he can maintain going until it truly will get a hell of lots worse, after which he may have to have an operation”, selectors chairman Marsh advised reporters in Adelaide.

Starc, who forced the England one-day captain Eoin Morgan to retire hurt after being hit on the helmet in the final ODI, has not been ruled out yet, with Cricket Australia adding: “Our plan is to continue to manage Mitchell and monitor how his ankle responds”.

The left-arm quick did miss the recent fourth ODI with England before returning to action as the Aussies won the fifth game to claim the series.

The pair pick out key moments in the series, including giving their thoughts on the dismissal of Ben Stokes for obstructing the field at Lord’s and ponder whether James Taylor’s century at Old Trafford could prove to be a huge breakthrough for him at worldwide level.

“Eventually it is going to have to be removed but it will take another three or four months after the operation for him to be able to play again”.

It has now been confirmed that bone spurs caused fresh inflammation to Starc’s ankle, though Cricket Australia said surgical intervention was not called for.

“We wanted to get Starc home if we could but we’ll see”, said Lehmann. He had a cortisone injection (after the third ODI) and that took a day or two to take hold and get him pain free.

After winning the ODI series 3-2, Australia’s attention has turned to a two-Test series with Bangladesh, with the first of them taking place in Chittagong on 9 October.

“How long that [cortisone] will last and what will happen, it’s in the lap of the gods”. I don’t think anyone ever means to do anything like that, it’s part of the game bowling bouncers, so you have to get back on the ship as quickly as possible.

The 25-year-old has endured a heavy workload in 2015 and played in all but one of the Baggy Greens’ global matches against England this summer. “Especially after what he’s gone through in the last few years where he hasn’t played enough cricket (due to injury)”.