Star Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah and Pakistani left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi have done exceedingly well in all three formats of the game in the last many years, but according to senior Indian wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik, 33-year-old Australian pacer Mitchell Starc is arguably the world’s best white-ball bowler at present. The left-arm fast bowler was on fire against India during the 2nd ODI of a three-match series, which was played at the Dr. YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Sunday (March 19). He picked up his ninth five-wicket haul in the 50-over format of the game and helped his side dismiss Rohit Sharma and Co. for just 117 runs in 26 overs.
Reserving big praise for Starc, who registered figures of 8-0-53-5, after the conclusion of the second ODI, Karthik said that the two-time leading wicket-taker in ODI World Cup history is arguably the best white-ball bowler in the world right now.
“He 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 the first ball. We need to cut some slack for batters who get out to quality left-armers,” Karthik said on Cricbuzz.
“The skill that goes behind Shaheen Afridi, Trent Boult, and 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,” he added.
For his superb show with the ball, Starc bagged the Player of the Match award in the Vizag ODI. He accounted for the dismissals of Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul, and Mohammed Siraj. In the first ODI as well, he impressed with his bowling display and picked up three wickets.
