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Mitchell Starc made a commanding return to the game after an almost three-month absence due to shoulder and elbow injuries. He was completely rust free as he registered a match winning spell and ensured Australia dominated the match.

Starc put the Rajasthan Royals on the back foot by dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal on the first ball of his very first over and he continued to make the Rajasthan batsmen struggle with pace and control. Starc sent both Ravindra Jadeja and Riyan Parag packing in his seventeenth over, preventing a late fightback by Rajasthan. He finished the day with figures of three for 40.

I must say that it felt good to be back and in the game.

During post match presentation, Starc said:

“It's nice to get some cobwebs out, get back to the speed of the game. I think I was good to get some running in the legs, but nice to be back around the guys, get some training in, and then obviously get the win tonight. So, yeah, nice to return. I've been bowling a little bit for a period of weeks, just trying to position my elbow so I can manage the movement."

He added:

"I hadn't bowled to a batter for three months until tonight. So, it's sort of getting back to that speed pretty quickly. I was playing cricket for a while, so in terms of ticking the boxes with skills, I felt I was in a position to do most of what I wanted. Tonight was a good reminder of a few things that make the game. I think I'll be better for the run in the legs for 20 overs, and then now I get into my portion of the tournament."

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Starc also spoke out on speculation regarding his fitness and career, as supporters began questioning his fitness after observing the strapping on his legs during the game. He addressed the questions with a touch of humour.

He concluded:

"There's a couple of things. I think we'd laugh if you had three things strapped on and were thinking about retirement, but I'm not quite there yet. But no, it is what it is. It's the cricket life and the world's life. We move on."

This innings not only proved the doubters wrong with regards to his fitness but it also proved the Starc is still a very effective player. Starc's return to form may have just come at the right time, with the tournament going into the decisive stages.