“Now Pat and I fight over who’s going to bat No. 9” - Mitchell Starc’s hilarious comment on Australia skipper ahead of SL vs AUS 2025 Tests

Veteran Australia speedster Mitchell Starc has opened up on his hilarious argument with skipper Pat Cummins over who bats at No. 9. Nevertheless, the left-arm speedster acknowledged that Cummins had evolved into a better batter.

With Starc and Cummins looming as hugely capable tailenders, both keep changing their batting positions based on the team requirements. Cummins has enhanced his stature with the bat in recent times, headlined by his 87 runs across two innings in the recent Boxing Day Test of the Border-Gavaskar series against India in Melbourne.

When asked whether he still thought he could score a Test hundred, Starc said he had missed the boat and would be happy with his highest score of 99. He reckoned that the Aussie captain was better placed to get to the three-figure mark, saying (via cricket.com.au):

"I think I've made peace with my 99. I liked to think I could get somewhere near it again, but I've probably missed the boat there. Now Pat (Cummins) and I fight over who's going to bat number nine and try and hide down there. I think Patty's probably a lot closer to a Test century than I am these days, the way he's been going about it. I probably had a few chances to get one or two and let them go, but it is what it is – 99 is better than zero."

Cummins will be unavailable for the two-Test tour of Sri Lanka as he is nursing an injury and has opted for a paternity leave. Steve Smith will lead Australia in the right-arm speedster's absence.

"It's very humbling when you see some of those names" - Mitchell Starc reflects on his record in Sri Lanka

Mitchell Starc. (Image Credits: Getty)

With Starc's 29 wickets from five Tests in Sri Lanka coming at an average of 17.48 and putting him at par with the likes of Sir Richard Hadlee and Wasim Akram, the 34-year-old said he had idolized the latter the most in his career. In the same interview, he said:

"It's very humbling when you see some of those names. As a left-armer, once I started bowling properly and watching Wasim, he was arguably the greatest lefty of all time. So to be able to spend some time with him, and listen to him talk about bowling and his wrist (position) and swinging the ball has been really, really cool. If I manage to get one or two (wickets), or get equal with him or something like that, it would be pretty cool too."

Australia's first Test against Sri Lanka begins on January 29 in Galle.