'One of the Hardest Balls to Face': Steve Smith Suggests Mitchell Starc Go For His Ace Delivery to Turn His Fortunes for KKR

While the Kolkata Knight Riders will be positive having won two games on the bounce, one player who is yet to take off in the Indian Premier League 2024 (IPL) is their big-money signing, Australia’s Mitchell Starc.

The left-handed quick bowler was roped in by the franchise after fetching a record bid of 24.75 crore INR. But he has yet to fire in the tournament after going wicketless across both games and having conceded 100 runs as well in the eight overs bowled.

His fellow international team-mate, Steve Smith who is part of Star Sports’ experts for the coverage of IPL 2024 reckons he should go back to doing what gave him the reputation of being a lethal bowler in the first place.

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Following the win against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru Smith broke down the pacer’s tactics during the game. He said, “I think today (against Royal Challengers Bengaluru) he was looking to wobble the ball across the right-handed batter, which is a good option, but I feel like he’s got to swing it back down the line. He is a left-hand fast bowler who can bowl at 145+ KMPH. There’s nothing like a ball swinging back into a right-handed batsman. It’s one of the hardest balls to face. So I’d like to see that first and use that one as a variation to trying to nick off from them”.

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Sharing a similar opinion, the former Indian fast-bowler, Irfan Pathan also suggested that Starc should go back to swinging the ball into the right-hander. HE added, “Starc is at his best when he is swinging the ball in. When that looping swing starts to the right-hand batter, it can be lethal. And I haven’t seen that in the last two games. The head could just be staying on the ball a bit more, or it could just be the pitches, or it could just be getting used to Indian conditions. Once he starts getting that inswing, he will be a bowler to watch out for throughout the IPL”.

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KKR will have their next assignment where they take on the Delhi Capitals at Visakhapatnam where they aim to make it a hat-trick of wins and keep their undefeated streak going as they look to go for their third title.