Starc looking to hit his straps in Brisbane

Throughout this summer's Test series against South Africa, Mitchell Starc was forced to do something that's been foreign to him in recent times: play second fiddle.

Australia's bowlers routinely talk about 'bowling in partnerships' but every attack needs a spearhead, and for the men in Baggy Green, Starc is indisputably that man.

The New South Wales paceman returned from a six-month injury lay-off in time for Australia's Test tour of Sri Lanka in July-August, and promptly claimed 24 wickets in three matches, breaking copious records in the process. 

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And even before the retirement of Mitchell Johnson, he'd been en route to usurping his fellow left-armer as the leader of the pack, leading the way for Australia with 18 wickets in five Ashes Tests in the 2015 series in England.

All the while he was dominating in the ODI format like few in the history of the game, underlining his status as one of the world's most fearsome quicks. 

Against the Proteas however, Starc's tally of 14 wickets was second to his opening partner, Josh Hazlewood, who was outstanding with 17 across the three Tests.

Some were quick to call it a form slump, though truthfully, it was far from that.

Moreover, Starc was again rediscovering his rhythm after what was initially meant to be a rest period but became something more sinister following a fielding accident at a Sydney training session that left a serious gash and ultimately 30 stitches in his left leg.

The 26-year-old's 14 wickets against South Africa came at 30.14 runs apiece – above his career mark of 27.66 – and in the second innings in Perth particularly he seemed somewhat lacklustre by the lofty standards he'd set in Sri Lanka.

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Steadily, however, he's been building.

And now, with Pakistan in town and all the talk about their left-arm pace weapons in Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz, the pressure is on Australia's spearhead to deliver.

"I think I've still got some way to come," Starc conceded in Brisbane today, four days out from the first Commonwealth Bank Test at the Gabba.

"There's been times when I've been pretty happy with how it's been going and there's other times when I think I'm away from my best.

"That consistency is still yet to come back, which is exciting that I can still lift my game a little bit.

"Hopefully it's going to come back in this series. But I'm happy enough with how it's been going."

It is five years since Starc debuted at the Gabba as a raw, gangly 21-year-old with undeniable promise.

Surprisingly, he averages a mediocre 35.90 from three Tests at the Gabba, though last year he claimed six wickets in an impressive display against the Black Caps to take his first steps towards improving that figure.

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And despite voicing his opposition to the pink ball in the past, Starc's 1.5 appearances in day-night Tests (he hobbled off during last year's Adelaide day-nighter with a serious foot injury and only bowled in one innings) have yielded him nine wickets at 20.22.

In his return to first-class action in October, Starc played for New South Wales in a pink-ball day-night clash at the Gabba against Queensland.

With Cricket Australia stringently controlling his return to action, he only bowled in one innings, taking 1-62.

Seven weeks on from that match, Starc feels the warmer December weather could influence the behaviour of the pink ball.

"It's a bit warmer now than it was during that Shield game so hopefully we see a bit more swing," he said.

"It didn't swing around too much and it was probably too cold to swing for Queensland.

"It will be interesting to see what (the groundstaff) come up with this week, but whatever is put in front of us we'll find a way to take 20 wickets and score a  big amount of runs and win a Test match."

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