Mitchell Starc dominates 2025 cricket with 51 Test wickets at 17.15, excelling in Australia’s 3-0 Ashes lead. Ricky Ponting praises his evolved skills, including wobble seam and in-swingers, making him a complete, lethal fast-bowling force.
Mitchell Starc’s 2025 form has been nothing short of phenomenal, establishing him as the standout bowler in world cricket this year. The Australian pacer has taken 51 wickets in 10 Test matches at an average of 17.15, making him the leading wicket-taker in the format for the year. His performances have been crucial in Australia’s dominant Ashes campaign, where the hosts currently hold an unassailable 3-0 lead over England.
In the three Tests played so far in the series, Starc has claimed 22 wickets at an average of 17.04, consistently troubling the English batting line-up with pace, swing, and control. Highlighting his impact, former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, speaking on the ICC Review Podcast, lavished praise on Starc’s current abilities, highlighting both his consistency and evolution as a bowler.
“I don’t think I’ve seen him bowl better. It really has been quite outstanding what he’s done with the new ball. You know, 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,” Ponting said.
Ponting delves into Starc’s strengths
Ponting elaborated on how Starc has diversified his bowling arsenal, adding new deliveries that complement his traditional strengths. The introduction of a reliable wobble seam delivery has given Starc more control and consistency against right-handed batsmen, while he continues to rely on his potent full in-swinging ball as his primary weapon.
“You know, he just doesn’t rely on that big in-swinger now to a right-hander. 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,” Ponting concluded.