Summary of this article
Delhi Capitals await the arrival of Australian pacer Mitchell Starc for IPl 2026
Starc is yet to receive a NOC from Cricket Australia
Axar Patel, Venugopal Rao and Hemang Badani provided much needed clarity
Cricket Australia is yet to grant a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to their senior pacer Mitchell Starc in order for him to join the Delhi Capitals for the upcoming Indian Premier League 2026 season which starts from March 28 onwards.
The Capitals have not received any clarification from the Australian board but they remain hopeful of having the left-arm with the squad before their tournament opener on April 1 against the Lucknow Super Giants.
In a recent media interaction, DC captain Axar Patel, Director Venugopal Rao and Head coach Hemang Badani asnwered multiple questions on the availability of their pace spearhead.
Mitchell Starc is a key player for the franchise, who have more or less shaped their fast bowling battery around him. Starc had taken 14 wickets in 11 games last season.
"We are waiting to get the NOC from Cricket Australia. Once we get that, we will know when he will join us." - Hemang Badani told the media.
"We are in constant touch with CA. He has been bowling, he had a bowled few days back. Unless Cricket Australia signs off on him that he is fit to play, there is little a franchise can do." - Badani said when asked if the delay in issuing NOC was due to fitness or workload management.
Then Venugopal Rao said confirmed that Starc is most likely to come but it's just a matter of time until he receives the NOC.
"He is coming, it is just a question of getting the NOC from Cricket Australia. They are monitoring, we are monitoring (his fitness and workload)." - Rao said.
Axar Sheds Light On T Natarajan's Participation
Skipper Axar Patel was then asked if he was ready to play T Natarajan in Starc's place if the latter doesn't arrive in the time for team's first game against LSG in Lucknow on April 1.
"It is tough to answer that at this stage. If Starc gets NOC, he can come before the first match also. We are waiting for that update. If he doesnt come there is no temptation to replace a left arm pacer with a left arm pacer. - Axar Patel said.
"It is about team combination. Having said that, Natajaran is doing really well and is 100 percent fit." - Axar Patel concluded. Natarajan had played just two games last season due to a shoulder injury.
Delhi Capitals Squad
Nitish Rana, Abishek Porel, Ajay Mandal, Ashutosh Sharma, Axar Patel, Dushmantha Chameera, Karun Nair, KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, Madhav Tiwari, Mitchell Starc, Sameer Rizvi, T Natarajan, Tripurana Vijay, Tristan Stubbs, Vipraj Nigam, David Miller, Ben Duckett, Auqib Nabi, Pathum Nissanka, Lungi Ngidi, Sahil Parakh, Prithvi Shaw, Kyle Jamieson
