Australian fast bowler michelle stark has launched a scathing attack against pundits and certain individuals in the Indian media, whom he blames for spreading misinformation about shoulder and elbow injuries, leading to IPL 2026 Will be out of the initial matches.
In a candid Instagram statement on Saturday, the Delhi Capitals (DC) pacer confirmed that he is dealing with a recently diagnosed problem in his shoulder and elbow – an injury which he says he was not aware of its full severity during the Australian summer. The revelation comes amid growing speculation in Indian cricketing circles over his fitness and commitment to the franchise.
“Despite the views and opinions of some individuals who are in the Indian media through their platforms, I am currently rehabilitating my shoulder and elbow injury, the severity of which I did not realize during the Australian summer,” Stark wrote.
The left-arm pacer left no stone unturned in criticizing those who questioned his availability, stating that the outside comments had crossed the line.
“These individuals have made some strong statements regarding participation in the IPL and have given gross misinformation about the players, which they have promoted as facts, and claimed that they know my body better than I do,” He added.
Mitchell Starc apologized to Delhi Capitals and their fans
Countering the media narrative, Starc expressed regret to the Delhi Capitals organization and their supporters, citing the timing of the injury as inconvenient. He did not specify how many matches he would miss, but reiterated his commitment to joining the franchise.
“Having said that, I acknowledge the setback of this injury and consider the time it has disrupted for the Delhi team and apologize for that and also to the fans that I will not be available for the initial part of this season. I am committed to joining DC, am in constant communication to update the team and will strive to be available for DC as much as possible,” Stark said.
Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra Became one of the most prominent voices questioning Stark’s absence. In a recent episode of his YouTube channel, Chopra expressed doubts over the fast bowler’s fitness status, pointing out that there has been a gap since the conclusion of the Ashes series in January this year.
“If Mitchell Starc is also not going to start, then what is Cricket Australia doing? … Although he is fully fit. He has already said goodbye to T20Is. So, what has he done in the last two months?” Chopra commented.
Confusion over Stark’s no-objection certificate
The uncertainty over Starc’s availability increased due to mixed information coming from the Delhi Capitals camp. In the recent press conference, the franchise management refused to confirm the nature of the injury, only stating that Cricket Australia (CA) has not yet issued the required No-Objection Certificate (NoC) for his participation.
Adding to the confusion, CA’s official website, cricket.com.au, had earlier suggested that the governing body was deliberately barring Starc from early IPL matches to manage his workload ahead of the busy international schedule between 2026 and 2027.
Starc’s candid clarification now confirms that the injury is physical and not administrative, drawing a clear line between medical reality and speculation, which he says has dominated Indian media coverage in recent days.
Comments are closed.