'England will be happy' - Netizens bewildered by Mitchell Starc's startling omission from Ashes opener

Australian skipper Pat Cummins turned a few heads at the toss ahead of the Ashes opener against England in Birmingham after he revealed Australia's decision to drop star pacer Mitchell Starc. The left-arm pacer was dropped from the series opener to accommodate Josh Hazlewood in the playing eleven.

While the home side announced their starting eleven for the opening Test match of the series a couple of days in advance, Australia waited till the very last moment to disclose their starters. The visitors were in a dilemma of whether to play the returning Josh Hazlewood or retain Scott Boland in the starting eleven.

Scott Boland, who replaced Josh Hazlewood in the recently concluded World Test Championship Final against India, delivered a decisive spell in the fourth innings in Australia's title bout. Instead of picking one of either Boland or Hazlewood, the visitors made a bold move of dropping left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc to accommodate both players in the eleven.

Starc, who was the most expensive Australian bowler in the WTC Final at the Oval, averages the worst among all the other current Aussie pacers on English shores. However, the move puzzled quite a few experts and fans as Starc, despite being expensive, is a lethal exponent of the reverse swing with the old ball and has a knack for delivering important wickets for the side.

Australia has dropped Mitchell Starc for the first Ashes Test.

Josh Hazelwood playing. pic.twitter.com/OjphcCPK8d

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 16, 2023

STARC IS DROPPED

David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland, Josh Hazlewood #Ashes

— M (@anngrypakiistan) June 16, 2023

No Starc? This will be interesting! https://t.co/8qyHi5ED4x

— Ashlee (@_itsashleeee_) June 16, 2023

Australia have omitted Mitchell Starc for the first Test of The Ashes 2023, while Josh Hazlewood makes his return to the team.#Ashes2023 #ENGvsAUS pic.twitter.com/F3i4m4hT1G

— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) June 16, 2023

Josh Hazlewood 🔁 Mitchell Starc

Pat Cummins discusses the big change in the Australia squad 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/U23C4EkVyV

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 16, 2023

Mitchell Starc dropped for the first Ashes Test match.

Josh Hazelwood replace him in XI. pic.twitter.com/EcqWkEC3nW

— CricketMAN2 (@ImTanujSingh) June 16, 2023

Mitchell Starc with a baseball mitt on while Mitch Marsh has gone back to kicking the football with the reserve players and Josh Hazlewood is marking his run-up #Ashes pic.twitter.com/KWmrJdZAKf

— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) June 16, 2023

England has won the toss and elected to bat first at Edgbaston.

Both sides have left out their fastest bowler, with Mark Wood and Mitchell Starc sidelined for the series opener.#Ashes

— Nic Savage (@nic_savage1) June 16, 2023

Hmm 🤔 interesting Aussie selections. Have always liked that we have had a varied attack. Plus without Starc how will Lyon go with no rough to work with? #Ashes2023

— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) June 16, 2023

First Ashes test and no Mitchell Starc to commence it with an in swinging ripper. 😓

— Rayhaan (@Cricket_Savant) June 16, 2023

Starc to Burns first ball bowled
Cummins to Crawley first ball four

I love this team, no matter what the result❤️

— sophie (@sophiesalterego) June 16, 2023