Ashes 2023: I had the backing from the group – Mitchell Starc after winning Player of the Series for Australia

Australia’s gun fast bowler Mitchell Starc revealed he had the backing from his captain Pat Cummins and support staff after the Ashes series ended in a 2-2 draw. England won the fifth and final Test match by 49 runs at the Kennington Oval, London on Monday to draw level in the series.

Meanwhile, Starc was the pick of the Australian fast bowlers, picking a total of 23 wickets, to finish as the highest wicket-taker of the series, at an average of 27.09. Starc was brilliant with the new ball as he got it to swing both ways to breathe down the neck of England’s openers.

In fact, Starc was not included in Australia’s final XI for the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston as Scott Boland was backed but he proved his mettle in the second Test. The left-arm seamer picked two four-wicket hauls and one five-wicket haul in the series as he bowled at his absolute best.

Starc returned with impressive figures of 5-78 in the second innings of the third Test match at Leeds, Headingley but his efforts went in vain as Australia lost that game by three wickets.

Starc said in the post-match presentation, “It’s been a fantastic tour. I’ve had the backing from the group, fantastic group to be a part of. We’ve had a fantastic tour considering the 6 Test matches we’ve played. It’s quite a resilient group. We’ve got a fantastic support staff. No doubt been a busy 8 weeks, the quality of cricket on display has been fantastic.”

On the other hand, the whole series was full of twists and turns as the pendulum swung from one team to the other in a matter of a session. Starc said it was a great series to be part of and he thoroughly enjoyed the contest between the two potent teams.

Starc said, “It’s been an incredible five Test matches, been exciting, ebbs and flows throughout. The way we finished today, spoke of the quality of cricket and the emotions of the Ashes. Happened quickly, much like the ebbs and flows of this series. It’s come down to the last session of Day 5.”

On countering England’s Bazball approach, Starc concluded, “Didn’t approach it too differently than I would have. Was great to witness two different approaches to Test cricket. We looked at traditional ways of playing Test cricket, playing attacking cricket and setting fields and it worked for us.”

Australia will now tour South Africa for three T20Is and five ODIs.