3 bowlers India can groom as their answer to Mitchell Starc

Aussie speedster Mitchell Starc wreaked havoc during the 2nd ODI against India, bagging his 9th ODI five-wicket haul to dismantle India for a paltry 117 to ensure a smooth pathway for Australia’s convincing victory by 10 wickets.

The visitors needed a victory to keep the series alive and it was largely possible due to an exceptional spell from Starc.

The left-arm speedster bagged the wicket of Gill in his very first over but ended up bowling a few looseners in his next two overs. However, what transpired next proved to be the difference between the two teams.

Just like the first ODI, he trapped Suryakumar Yadav with an indipper before trapping KL Rahul with a similar delivery.

Starc’s ability to tail the ball in late and at pace has made him a lethal weapon for the Aussies in any format of the game.

While Starc has consistently troubled opposition batters with his inswinging deliveries, India has not really managed to find a Mitchell Starc equivalent ever since the retirement of Zaheer Khan.

With that said, here's a look at 3 bowlers India can groom as their answer to Mitchell Starc:

#1 Arshdeep Singh

The first name that comes to mind who has hogged the limelight in the recent past is none other than Arshdeep Singh. He was India’s highest wicket-taker in the T20 World Cup last year and has shown some of Starc's traits, especially with his incoming deliveries.

He turned heads in India’s opening game against Pakistan, prizing out fancied openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. He might not operate at Starc’s pace but has the knack of hitting the right channels on a consistent basis.

He also has a potent yorker up his sleeve along with a wide range of slower deliveries.

However, the 24-year-old needs to be nurtured well and his workload management will have to be looked after by the BCCI if Arshdeep is to make anywhere close to the impact that Starc has made in international cricket.

---

#2 Mohsin Khan

Mohsin Khan bagged 14 wickets for LSG in the 2022 edition of the IPL.

The left-arm pacer hogged the limelight in the 2022 edition of the IPL, bagging 14 wickets in just 9 matches for the Lucknow Super Giants. He swung the ball both ways and was a hard nut to crack, especially in the powerplay.

Mohsin also displayed a wide array of slower deliveries which deceived several top-class batters.

He was part of the Mumbai Indians set up in 2020 and 2021 but didn’t get a chance to play for the most successful franchise in the competition. He has been off the radar in the last few months after undergoing surgery for a shoulder injury in October 2022.

Had it not been for the injury, Mohsin would have been close to receiving his maiden national call-up. Having the ability to consistently clock over 145 kph, the 24-year-old can be India’s future if he manages to stay injury free.

---

#3 Khaleel Ahmed

Having all the attributes of a left-arm fast bowler, Khaleel Ahmed, despite being in the national set-up for a considerable amount of time, hasn’t been able to live up to expectations. Khaleel’s last international outing came way back in 2019 after making his debut the preceding year.

He made sporadic appearances for India during that year but couldn’t quite cement his place in the side. Khaleel was part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad set up from 2019-2021 and was bought by the Delhi Capitals ahead of the previous season. He had a wonderful season with the ball, bagging 16 wickets in 10 games.

A skiddy customer, Khaleel hits the deck hard and has the ability to extract steep bounce. He moves the ball both ways and his spell against Rohit Sharma in one of the previous editions of the IPL was a testimony to what he is capable of.