Starc hints at quitting one format to open doors for more franchise cricket

Kolkata Knight Riders premier paceman Mitchell Starc has expressed his wish to return to IPL 2025 in the Purple and Golden outfit once again. Starc was bought by KKR for a record-breaking INR 24.75 crore in the IPL 2024 auction as he played a massive role in the team's third IPL title triumph. The Aussie pacer produced Player of the Match performances in the qualifier 1 and final against Sunrisers Hyderabad to prove he was worth every penny KKR spent on him in the auction.

Mitchell Starc produced stellar performances for KKR in the qualifier 1 and final against SRH.(AFP)

Starc returned to the IPL this year after a long hiatus. He last played in the cash-rich league in 2015 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. He missed the world's most lucrative league to prioritise Australian cricket, however, he has changed his mind a bit in the current stage of his career.

The star pacer has hinted at retirement from one of the formats in international cricket—most probably ODIs— to shift focus to franchise leagues.