Delhi Capitals have welcomed a significant boost ahead of their upcoming meeting with Punjab Kings, with overseas spearhead Mitchell Starc officially joining the squad. The pacer’s participation had been pushed back earlier in IPL 2026 after he dealt with shoulder and elbow problems, which affected his ability to bowl consistently during the build-up. Those concerns were traced to a demanding workload during the Ashes—where he delivered more than 153 overs—and were later worsened by a heavy fall while diving for a catch during the Big Bash League in late January.
When Starc attempted to return to his bowling rhythm in February, he continued to experience soreness, forcing him into a more extended rehabilitation phase in Sydney. Once his recovery progressed, Cricket Australia cleared him to link up with Delhi Capitals on 23 April 2026, giving the franchise a welcome return to its pace resources. During his absence, Delhi’s bowling unit largely relied on Mukesh Kumar, T Natarajan and Lungi Ngidi to lead the attack.
Starc’s IPL journey with Delhi Capitals began after the mega auction cycle, when the franchise secured him for Rs 11.75 crore. In IPL 2025, he delivered a standout campaign, picking up 14 wickets across 11 matches and establishing himself as one of the key wicket-takers for the side. A highlight of that season was his first-ever five-wicket haul in the tournament—figures of 5/35 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Visakhapatnam—making him the first overseas fast bowler in DC’s history to reach the milestone. Even with that impact, he did not see the season through to the end, choosing instead to return to Australia to prepare for the World Test Championship Final.
With Delhi set to host Punjab Kings on 25 April, Starc is not expected to be part of the immediate home fixture. Instead, he is likely to make his first appearance of IPL 2026 for Delhi Capitals on 1 May against Rajasthan Royals. Before he returns to full competitive overs, Starc will go through a short training and acclimatisation period with the DC support staff, aiming to rebuild his bowling intensity gradually after a three-month spell on the sidelines.
If there are no fresh setbacks, the left-arm pacer is expected to be available for the remainder of the campaign, including the final league matches and the postseason. In the meantime, Delhi Capitals will continue to lean on Lungi Ngidi, who has already accounted for seven wickets in the first six matches as the pace attack holds its shape until Starc’s return.
