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Earlier on Sunday, December 29, Cricket Australia received a massive blow with wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis getting ruled out of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25. Inglis, who was named in the squad since the start of the five-match Test series down under, did not feature in any match and has now been ruled out of the fifth Test, set to be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) from January 3, 2025.
Cricket Australia (CA) confirmed that Inglis has been ruled out with a calf strain and will no longer be a part of the series, veteran Australia pacer Mitchell Starc also shared an update on his injury after his was seen struggling with visible pain on his back. Notably, with mounting concerns in the Australian camp, Starc did not take the ball on Day 4.
Mitchell Starc shares update on his injury on Day 4 of Boxing Day Test
Speaking on the fourth day of the Boxing Day Test, Starc threw light on his fitness. However, Australia saw only Pat Cummins, Scott Boland and Nathan Lyon bowl on the fourth day with one wicket left, hinting concerns on Starc’s fitness. But the New South Wales pacer confirmed that “all is good”.
"All good. My pace didn't drop so I'm all good," Starc said. Notably, the seriousness of his injury had remained unclear at the end of Day 3. Scott Boland had spoken about the pacer and had said that the pacer would be fine in the near future. "He's okay. I think he's just had a bit of a niggle in his back or rib, but he came out after the (tea) break and was bowling 140 (kph) so I think he'll be fine," Boland told reporters.
Although Mitchell Starc only bowled 25 overs, conceding 86 runs and going wicketless. Although, after Marnus Labuschagne’s dismissal on Day 4, Mitchell Starc walked out to bat but had to departed having scored five runs off 13 deliveries, courtesy a brilliant run-out attempt from wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant.
