Starc's highway from the danger zone

Test spearhead Mitchell Starc has revealed he’s abandoned a recent change to his bowling run-up designed to alleviate stress on his lower body, defiantly declaring he'd rather "bowl fast and be in danger of injury than be safe and bowl slow".

While Starc has established himself as one of the most feared Test bowlers on the planet, Australia’s tour of South Africa earlier this year was the fourth consecutive Test series in which he missed at least one match due to a right leg or foot injury.

As he recovered from a stress reaction in his tibia over the winter in preparation for next month's Test series against Pakistan, the left-armer tinkered with a shorter run-up in a bid to ease the toll on his landing leg.

With a six-Test home summer, a World Cup and an Ashes series all on the horizon, Starc's physical well-being is understandably front-of-mind for Australia's medical and support staff.

But while he's made some minor changes to the bowling style that's netted him 182 wickets at 28.17, the 28-year-old refuses to sacrifice his speed.

"I did tinker with a few things, not big changes. Just some little things to tidy up the action and try to make it a little safer," he told cricket.com.au.

"I had some good discussions with physios and fast bowling coaches during my time off with injury – just to try little things that might help me down the track.

"I tried shortening my run-up a little bit (and) shortened my stride lengths to not be so long at the crease and be a little safer on my legs which I've had a few injuries with over the last few years.

"I didn't really like the feel of that (the shorter run-up), it wasn't really coming out very quickly so I quickly flicked (abandoned) that one.

"I'd rather bowl fast and be in danger of injury than be safe and bowl slow.

"I have had a few little changes to make sure my stride length is a little shorter, but I've gone back to the old run up."

How Starc is deployed in the United Arab Emirates, where he arrived last week along with the rest of the 15-player squad for the Pakistan series, remains to be seen.

Playing three spinners and a lone quick may once have been considered a radical move by an Australian Test team, but the success of that approach for their most recent Test in Asia (a seven-wicket win against Bangladesh in Chittagong last year) could encourage selectors if conditions suit in the UAE.

Image Id: BEADF7A68F3A4C4AB919160BE9C0EA2A Image Caption: It's not all high octane in Dubai... // Cricket Network

Starc's former mentor Mitchell Johnson recently backed the idea and Starc himself says he's open to taking on the same responsibility Pat Cummins shouldered in Chittagong last September.

"I haven't had to do that before," Starc noted, with no other Australian quick having done it either in 40 years before Cummins last year.

"I've opened the bowling before with Nathan (Lyon) in India but I've not been the only quick in the team.

"Hopefully I can get a run in the team first. If that does happen, I've had a good preseason to get myself strong and fit.

"If I need to bowl long spells and be the only out-and-out quick, then I can definitely fill that role. We've got guys like (allrounder) Mitch Marsh who's back bowling now, I'm sure he'll be a big part of the team with bat and ball.

"We've got other part-timers to call on if need be. If conditions suit spin and they go down the road of the extra spinners, I can change my role slightly again."

Starc has hit the ground running in Dubai in recent days, sweating through testing training sessions at the International Cricket Council's Academy ahead of the two-Test series beginning October 7.

With his fellow Ashes-winning quicks Cummins and Josh Hazlewood both missing the tour, Starc shapes as one of the Australia's most important players.

Adding to that is the fact Starc has been an even bigger threat in Asia than he has elsewhere over his 43-Test career. Since (and including) his wicketless first Test there in 2013 against India, no Australian fast bowler has taken more wickets on the subcontinent.

His dominant 24-wicket 2016 tour of Sri Lanka remains the greatest haul by Aussie quick in a three-Test series and Starc hopes the familiarity of the Kookaburra ball (as opposed to the Indian SG ball used for Tests there) can see him replicate that incredible campaign.

"That Sri Lanka series is a blueprint I'd love to replicate and work off on any subcontinental tours," he said.

"It's something I'll probably look at and try to take little things out of to take into this series on the subcontinent with where and how I bowled – the lengths and some reverse swing.

"In the UAE we'll use the Kookaburra ball like we did in Sri Lanka – hopefully we can get it moving around and I can get a few wickets and help the team out."

Qantas Tour of the UAE

Australia Test squad: Tim Paine (c), Ashton Agar, Brendan Doggett, Aaron Finch, Travis Head, Jon Holland, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc

Sep 29 - Oct 2: Tour match v Pak A, Dubai

Oct 7-11: First Test, Dubai

Oct 16-20: Second Test, Abu Dhabi