Sri Lanka vs Australia 2016: 5 talking points from the series

#3 Mitchell Starc the lone stand-out performer for Australia in an otherwise disappointing tour

Mitchell Starc celebrates with Peter Nevill after dismissing Kusal Mendis

In a series where the Aussies have been steamrolled by the Lankans, Mitchell Starc has been the only bright spot. Despite his side’s below-par performance Starc has put his hands up and bowled his heart out. His 24 wickets in the series are the most by any visiting pacer in the island nation.

Starc picked up 6 wickets in the first Test and was instrumental in bowling out the Sri Lankans for 117 in their 1st innings. He backed it up with 11 wickets in the 2nd Test and his lethal inswinging yorkers rattled the stumps on more than one occasion. His spells of 5/44 and 6/50 would have stood as a match-winning spell any other time but the Aussie batsmen were unable to tackle their spinners as Starc’s effort went in vain.

Even in the 3rd Test, Starc rattled the Sri Lankan top order as they were tottering at 26/5 before Chandimal and Dhananjaya de Silva scored magnificent centuries to bail the hosts out of trouble.