Five contenders to replace Starc

For the second time in three days Australia are in search for an injury replacement after Mitchell Starc was ruled out of the Qantas Tour of India on Friday with a fractured foot.

Quick Single: Starc injury a huge blow to Australia

Starc joins allrounder Mitchell Marsh in the injury ward with both players traveling home to begin rehabilitation on their respective injuries.

Victoria’s Marcus Stoinis has been called up to replace Marsh but now the National Selection Panel must find a substitute for the left-armer.

While Tasmania’s Jackson Bird is the reserve fast bowler in the touring party, here are five contenders who could possibly replace Starc for the final two Tests against India in Ranchi and Dharamashala.

(Statistics are from the 2016-17 Sheffield Shield season)

Jason Behrendorff - WA

M: 6 | Wkts: 31 | Ave: 15.90 | SR: 31.4 | BB: 9-37 | 5w: 3 | 10w: 1

Behrendorff has a lot of things going for him. For one, he’s a towering left-armer and a like-for-like replacement for Starc, who creates rough outside the right-hander’s off-stump for spinner Lyon. Secondly, he’s in the form of his life having taken 14 wickets, including a remarkable 9-37, against Victoria in Perth late last month. Finally, after missing the KFC Big Bash League and the first two rounds of Shield cricket this side of Christmas, the 26-year-old is perhaps the freshest bowler in this list.

Patrick Cummins – NSW 

M: 1 | Wkts: 8 | Ave: 18.60 | SR: 13 | BB: 4-47 | 5w: 0 | 10w: 0

While it’s a long shot, Cummins at his best is one of the top fast bowlers in the world. After not playing a Shield match in six years, the 23-year-old made a successful return for NSW in the four-day competition this week, collecting eight wickets and most importantly, escaping injury-free. Cummins’ story is well known; the 18-year-old kid who starred in his Test debut only to be cruelled by injury time and time again. Couple his superb express bowling with his significantly improved ability with the bat, Cummins is the complete package but it might be a touch too soon for his Test return.

James Pattinson – Vic

M: 3 | Wkts: 13 | Ave: 20.46 | SR: 33.6 | BB: 4-48 | 5w: 0 | 10w: 0

Pattinson has a superb Test record, experience in India and speed to burn in his back pocket and is potentially the front-runner to replace Starc. The 26-year-old is one of only nine Australian fast bowlers with a five-wicket haul in India, his bag of 5-96 coming in Chennai in 2013. While he’s only played three first-class games for Victoria this summer, Pattinson’s experience and express pace is just what Australia need without tearaway Starc. 

Chadd Sayers - SA

M: 9 | Wkts: 50 | Ave: 18.60 | SR: 42.2 | BB: 6-32 | 5w: 4 | 10w: 1

Undisputedly the form bowler of the Shield season, Sayers has taken an incredible 50 wickets with one match left to play in the regular season. He was on the cusp of Test selection this summer, missing out to Jackson Bird in Adelaide before finding out on the afternoon of day one in Brisbane that Nathan Lyon would retain his place in the final XI. Sayers is perhaps the best swing bowler in Australia and would provide the same relentless consistency that Josh Hazlewood and Bird are known for. 

Chris Tremain - Vic

M: 8 | Wkts: 37 | Ave: 18.24 | SR: 40.8 | BB: 4-22 | 5w: 0 | 10w: 0

Only Sayers has more wickets in Shield cricket in the past three seasons than Tremain, the slingy right-armer from country NSW. Tremain had a taste of international cricket last October when he played four ODIs in South Africa against the Proteas. He can swing the ball at pace and has worked with Australia assistant coach David Saker in his one season as head coach of Victoria in 2015-16. And if his bowling credentials aren’t enough, the 25-year-old hit his maiden first-class century yesterday against Western Australia in Alice Springs.