Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has heaped praise on Mitchell Starc, describing the left-arm quick’s performances in the ongoing Ashes as the finest he has seen across Starc’s career.
Speaking on the ICC Review Podcast, Ponting said Starc’s impact with the ball has been decisive in Australia racing to an unassailable 3-0 lead in the 2025 series. Starc has been named Player of the Match twice in the first three Tests, underlining his central role in Australia’s dominance over England.
“I don’t think I’ve seen him bowl better,” Ponting said. “It really has been quite outstanding what he’s done with the new ball. He’s always been known as a brand new ball bowler, and then someone that was a good bowler with the old ball, the ball that was reverse swinging. But he’s added a few different dimensions to his game, a few different skills which have made him a more complete bowler.”
Starc’s numbers this year reflect that assessment. In 2025, he has taken 51 wickets in just 10 Test matches at an average of 17.15, making him the leading wicket-taker in the format this year. In the Ashes alone, he has already picked up 22 wickets at an average of 17.04, repeatedly unsettling England’s batting line-up across all conditions.
Australia’s reliance on Starc was heightened early in the series, with Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood unavailable for parts of the campaign. Starc responded by leading the attack, finishing the first half of the series as the highest wicket-taker with 22 wickets from six innings and setting the tone for Australia’s bowling unit.
Ponting also offered insight into the technical evolution that has elevated Starc’s effectiveness. “He just doesn’t rely on that big in-swinger now to a right-hander,” Ponting explained. “He’s got the wobble seam delivery that goes across the right-hander and gives him a lot more consistency. So he knows he can bowl that ball pretty much at will. He knows the line and length that it’s going to be delivered at. And then his big strike weapon is still the fuller in-swinging ball to the right-handers.”
According to Ponting, the addition of a reliable wobble seam delivery has given Starc a crucial new option, allowing him to challenge right-handed batters with movement away as well as his trademark in-swing.
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