Mitchell Starc to miss start of IPL due to knee niggle

Mitchell Starc during the IPL last season

Royal Challengers Bangalore fast bowler Mitchell Starc will miss the first 2-3 weeks of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as he recovers from a knee niggle. The Australian is said to have injured himself in the latter part of the recently concluded ICC Cricket World Cup.

Although Starc’s injury isn’t much to be worried about, Cricket Australia (CA) want him rested because of the Ashes which is set to commence on 8 July 2015. The RCB management are said to be unhappy with the arrangement and want the bowler for whom they paid Rs. 5 crores last year available for the full tournament.

The 25-year-old took 22 wickets in the ICC Cricket World Cup and was named the Player of the Tournament in the sport’s biggest event. He is currently ranked as the number one bowler in the ICC rankings for ODI bowlers.

The Bengaluru-based franchise will be looking at Adam Milne and Sean Abbott as potential replacements for the Australian pacer. Milne is still recovering from an injury which forced him to miss the latter stages of the World Cup, but is expected to be fit by next week.

RCB start their campaign with a game against the Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens on 11 April 2015.