Mitchell Starc has been cleared by Cricket Australia to take part in the Indian Premier League, with the left-arm fast bowler expected to be available for Delhi Capitals’ contest against Rajasthan Royals on May 1. Starc has been out of action since January, nursing elbow and shoulder concerns, but the latest update suggests he can now progress his return in time for the Capitals’ early-season fixture.
The 36-year-old’s injury layoff came after an unusually busy spell for Australia. He played a pivotal part in all five Ashes Tests and was named Player of the Series for his performances. Later that month, Starc returned to domestic T20 cricket with the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League, featuring in five matches before the shoulder and elbow issues ruled him out of IPL action for much of the opening phase.
With his body now expected to be managed through a proper preparation phase in India, Starc’s pathway back has been mapped around building his workload on the ground. He is considered on track to make his IPL debut for the 2026 campaign for Delhi in the May 1 meeting with Rajasthan, a timeline that has been closely watched given the chatter that surrounded overseas players and their IPL commitments.
That debate intensified once Starc himself stepped in to address the speculation. He posted on Instagram to clarify that, despite public opinions, he was still in rehabilitation and had been dealing with an injury whose full impact he only understood later. “Starc is expected to build up his workloads on the ground in India and is on track to make his debut for the 2026 season in Delhi’s May 1 match against Rajasthan Royals,” Cricket.com.au had reported, and Starc’s own message directly responded to the noise that had followed his delayed appearance.
In his post, Starc said he was “currently rehabbing and managing an injury in my shoulder and elbow” and that he had not known the extent of the problem during the Australian summer. He added that comments circulating through Indian media had been based on misunderstandings, insisting that the claims being made about his involvement were far from accurate. “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,” the post read.
Starc’s delayed start matters for Delhi because he was their leading pace bowler last season, finishing with 14 wickets from 11 matches and providing regular breakthroughs. At present, the Capitals are positioned fifth in the points table, having won three of their first six games and lost the same number, leaving them in a competitive but slightly unsettled spot early in the campaign.
Starc’s return timing also sits within a wider pattern of international players gradually syncing up with their franchises. Australia captain Pat Cummins is set to make his first appearance of the season for Sunrisers Hyderabad, while Josh Hazlewood has already returned to action for Royal Challengers Bengaluru after missing the opening matches.
