Mitchell Starc is the premier bowler in world cricket right now: Steve Waugh

If former Australia captain Steve Waugh was drafting a world bowling attack today his No.1 pick would be pace ace Mitchell Starc. Waugh, who captained Australia 163 times at international level, believes Starc is Australia’s equivalent of Proteas champion Dale Steyn and would take the left-armer over any bowler currently playing.

“He (Starc) is world class and he’s at the peak of his game,” Waugh told The Unplayable Podcast. He’s probably the premier bowler in world cricket right now. If I was captain and they gave me choice of picking one bowler I’d pick Mitchell Starc. He’s that good and he’s only getting better.”

Starc is Australia’s highest-ranked bowler in Test and ODI according to the official International Cricket Council player rankings.

The southpaw speedster became the fastest bowler in ODI history to reach 100 wickets in June, and was the tourists’ standout bowler in Australia’s recent Test series in Sri Lanka, capturing 24 wickets at 15.16 in three Tests.

Starc today declared he’s available for NSW’s opening Sheffield Shield match against Queensland after recovering from surgery to repair a gruesome laceration he sustained in a fielding mishap five weeks ago.

Should Starc get through the Shield match unscathed, which starts in Brisbane on Tuesday, the 26-year-old is set to line-up against Steyn in the first Commonwealth Bank Test of the summer at the WACA Ground on November 3.

The 33-year-old is in red-hot form too after taking 8-99, including 5-33 in the second innings in his most recent Test against New Zealand in August. It’s a tantalising match-up of two of the world’s best fast bowlers, and Waugh predicts the Proteas veteran won’t hold back in what’s likely his last tour of Australia.

“He (Steyn) is a match-winner. He’s got that really competitive edge about him. He loves playing against the best batsmen in the toughest situations. He’s the man for the big occasion and he’ll want to lift in Australia. His form has been a little bit up and down in the last couple of years.

“He’s not as quick as he used to be but he can still swing the ball late and is a dangerous weapon. He’ll love to have a great tour to Australia because he won’t be back here again and it’s a chance for him to show everybody he’s one of the all-time great bowlers.”