Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc has addressed criticism over his delayed arrival for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, calling claims about his injury “heavily misinformed”.
Starc has yet to join the Delhi Capitals (DC) squad ahead of the tournament’s commencement today, prompting dissatisfaction among cricket experts and fans.
DC head coach Hemang Badani earlier explained that they are awaiting clearance from Cricket Australia regarding Starc’s participation. He stated that the player’s fitness and workload were under monitoring, with updates to follow once the No Objection Certificate is obtained.
On Instagram, Starc revealed that he is currently recovering from a shoulder and elbow injury, whose full extent was only realised after the Australian summer. He criticised those who speculated inaccurately on his fitness, stating: “Despite the opinions and views of certain individuals with their platforms in and through the Indian media, I’m currently rehabbing and managing an injury in my shoulder and elbow of which I didn’t know the extent of during the Australian summer. These individuals have made some strong statements around involvement in the IPL and provided heavily misinformed opinions of players, preached them as facts, and claim to know my body better than me.”
