Starc is one of my favourite bowlers in world cricket: Wasim Akram

Fast-bowling great Wasim Akram has identified that Australia fast bowling spearhead Mitchell Starc must master the art of bowling away swingers on flat tracks to become a complete behemoth. Starc seems to have caught Akram’s eye a long time ago. The Pakistan great, during a recent interview, stated that the lanky fast bowler always interested him and has been following him right from the early days of his career.

Much has changed since then, with Starc arguably the world’s best fast bowler, highlighted by the four second-innings wickets that helped fire Australia to victory on the final day of the second Test against Pakistan in Melbourne last week.

“He is one of my favourite bowlers in world cricket,” Akram told Fairfax Media on Monday. “The day I saw him, when India was touring five years ago, I was working with Star Sports and I had a session with him for half an hour. I realised this bowler was going to do wonders.

Akram wants Starc to compliment his pace, bounce and in-swinging yorker with one more essential variation a away swingers to right-handed batsmen once the Kookaburra ball begins to deteriorate.

“The only thing I reckon he should be improving is his away-swinger on flat decks. If he is not bringing the ball back in, sometimes on a flat wicket, especially the Kookaburra after 20 overs, it doesn’t come in as much.

“That’s where the across ball has to be more consistent. He has got bounce, he has got pace, and on top of that he has got the best yorker in world cricket now.”

Akram, one of the most feared bowlers in the world during his 104 Tests which got him 414 wickets at 23.62, rates Starc as the best quick in the business at the moment.

“There is Steyn, there is Anderson and there is Starc. Right now, Starc’s form is a lot better than those two so he is top of the ladder for me,” he said.

He also predicts that the Aussie can reach the 400 wickets mark by the end of the career. If the current form his concerned, Starc would require another 60 Tests to reach the milestone which Akram has predicted for him. If he does so, then it would put him in the exclusive company of the only two Australians have who have achieved this feat – Shane Warne (708) and Glenn McGrath (563).

“He looks physically fit and he bowls long spells, so that is a good sign,” Akram said. “It’s difficult to predict, but that’s his goal. He should be getting at least 350, 400 Test wickets. More, obviously, would be even better.”