Will Mitchell Starc replace Scott Boland for 2nd Ashes Test? Former skipper gives his take

Why you’re reading this: Australia won the First of the Ashes 2023 by two wickets at Edgbaston after Pat Cummins clutched the game for the Aussies. One of the best players in Australian cricket, Mitchell Starc, was not included in the starting XI of the World Test Champions. Head coach Andrew McDonald stated that the player is an important part of the project and his exclusion was due to the pitch conditions and after team discussions.

3 things you need to know

• England declared the game on Day 1 after scoring 393 runs
• Mitchell Starc was part of Australia’s WTC Final victory against India
• Tim Paine believes that Starc will be part of the first XI in the second Test

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What did Tim Paine say about Starc?

For the second Ashes Test, Tim Paine predicted that Mitchell Starc would be in Australia's starting XI while Scott Boland would be rested. Starc did not play for Australia in the first Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham, but he is anticipated to return for the second game on June 28 at Lord's in London.

Tim Paine talked about the prospect of rotating their fast bowlers during the Ashes series and resting Boland for the second Test during an interview on the SEN podcast "Whateley." Due to the demanding schedule of playing six Test matches in six weeks, Paine emphasized the significance of controlling the workload of the bowlers. He said Starc will probably take Boland's place on the team.

"It's critical when you are playing in a five-match series, we are playing six Test matches in six weeks, so there is no doubt that those fast bowlers are going to be rotated. I think they will bring Starc in for Boland."

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He clarified that Boland would not be dropped but given a break, as the team relies on all their bowlers to contribute at different stages of the Ashes. The only exception is captain Pat Cummins, as Paine expects him to play in all five tests.

Tim also mentioned that England's early declaration would work in Australia's favour. By limiting Cummins' bowling workload to around 15–16 overs per inning, they hope to keep him fit for the entire series and maximize his impact.

What did Tim say about England’s aggressive batting?

Given England's aggressive batting style, Paine highlighted his optimism over Starc's probable importance in the match against England. He emphasized Starc's additional pace and capacity for generating various angles from over and around the wicket, which he believes may result in a great deal of opportunity for Australia at the second test match in Lords.

Paine also mentioned that Nathan Lyon will benefit from Starc's addition, especially when it comes to taking advantage of footprints on the pitch. However, Paine felt that Boland could be the better option if the Lord's surface turned out to be more suited to seam bowling. Scott Boland had a decent performance in the Edgbaston Test, taking two wickets in the 26 overs he bowled. However, he conceded an average of 5.65 runs per over, which made him relatively expensive.