Mitchell Starc will miss the start of IPL 2026 as Cricket Australia take a cautious approach to managing the workload of their three senior pacers ahead of a demanding international calendar.

The update confirmed by cricket.com.au on Friday means Mitchell Starc joins Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood in having delayed starts to the tournament. Mitchell Starc was bought by Delhi Capitals for Rs 11.75 crore and will miss their opening game against Lucknow Super Giants on April 1.

Why Cricket Australia are holding Mitchell Starc back

The decision has nothing to do with injury in Mitchell Starc's case and everything to do with how much cricket Australia need him to play over the next eighteen months.

Mitchell Starc played all five Ashes Tests and then featured in the latter stages of the Big Bash League for Sydney Sixers. He did not play the T20 World Cup having retired from the format.

Among Australia's pace bowlers over the past twelve months only Mohammed Siraj has bowled more balls in Test cricket than Mitchell Starc which gives context to why Cricket Australia are taking a conservative approach with him now.

The workload management decision is forward-looking rather than reactive. From August this year Australia face a 21-Test stretch in twelve months including tours of South Africa, India and England followed by a home Ashes.

Beyond that comes the ODI World Cup in 2027 where Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood are all expected to play central roles. With that schedule ahead of them Cricket Australia have decided the early games of IPL 2026 are not worth the risk.

Cummins has not played international cricket since the Adelaide Test against England in December 2025 where he took three wickets in each innings. He was ruled out of the T20 World Cup and has been working on regaining full fitness since.

Hazlewood last played competitive cricket in November 2025 for New South Wales and missed both the Ashes and the T20 World Cup. His return to play protocols are ongoing and his availability for RCB will depend on how those progress over the coming weeks.

All three will return to their franchises once Cricket Australia are satisfied with where they are physically but no specific timelines have been given.

Also READ: Jack Edwards ruled out of IPL 2026 as SRH injury list grows beyond Pat Cummins: Report

What it means for DC, RCB and SRH ahead of IPL 2026

The three franchises affected by the delayed arrivals are Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad. DC lose Starc for their opener against LSG on April 1.

RCB lose Hazlewood for the season opener against SRH on March 28. SRH lose Cummins for the start of the season and have already named Ishan Kishan as interim captain until he returns.

The broader Australian fast bowling picture heading into IPL 2026 is now significant. Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood are all delayed. Nathan Ellis has been ruled out of the entire tournament for CSK with a hamstring injury.

Jack Edwards has been ruled out of the entire tournament for SRH with a foot injury. Five Australian fast bowlers and five franchises all managing the same problem before a single ball has been bowled in the tournament.

Three of those five will return at some point during the season. Two of them will not play at all. IPL 2026 starts on March 28 and the Australian pace bowling story is already one of the defining subplots of the opening weeks.

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