When Kolkata Knight Riders invested a record INR 24.75 crore to acquire Mitchell Starc at the IPL 2024 auction, the move was seen as a high-risk decision, motivated more by the bowler’s illustrious reputation than his recent track record. At the time, Starc was not a regular feature in T20 cricket, having participated in only 36 T20 matches since the beginning of 2017, with performances that were decent but not exceptional. His sporadic appearances and unremarkable statistics during this period did not clearly justify such a substantial financial outlay.

Despite these concerns, KKR was intrigued by the potential impact Starc could have within their bowling lineup. At 34 years old, Starc’s best days in T20 cricket might have been considered behind him by some, yet the franchise was captivated by the tantalizing possibilities of what Starc, renowned for his devastating pace and swing, could achieve. This gamble was emblematic of the high-stakes nature of IPL auctions, where teams often bet big on players hoping they will deliver performances that justify their hefty price tags.

See Also: IPL 2024: Player Analysis: Could Ravi Bishnoi’s T20 World Cup dream be fading away?

Starc’s Horror Run: A Massive Headache for KKR

Seven games into the IPL 2024 season, KKR might be grappling with some regret regarding their massive investment in Mitchell Starc. Despite occupying a respectable second place on the points table, this position is hardly attributed to their high-priced speedster. In fact, Starc has emerged as one of the most underwhelming performers this season, making his acquisition possibly the least successful signing of the year.

The situation nearly reached a tipping point on April 21, during a game against RCB. In what should have been a straightforward closure to the match, following a strong performance by Andre Russell in the penultimate over, Starc nearly turned the tide in favor of RCB. In a nerve-wracking final over, he conceded a series of sixes to Karn Sharma, nearly costing KKR the match.

It was only by a narrow margin that he managed to regain control, securing a precarious win for his team. This incident highlighted not only the challenges Starc has faced in finding his form but also the potential cost of his struggles to KKR’s campaign. He was recruited by Kolkata Knight Riders largely for his potential to provide an “x-factor” with the new ball during the crucial powerplay overs.

However, his performance this season has fallen significantly short of expectations. Instead of being a game-changer, Starc has struggled to make a positive impact during the early stages of matches. In the powerplay phase (overs 1-6), Starc’s performance metrics have been particularly disappointing. He has an average of 57.7, which ranks as the third-worst among all seamers who have bowled at least 12 overs in this phase of the game.

Furthermore, his economy rate has also been a point of concern, as only Mohammed Siraj, with an economy of 11.0, has been more costly than Starc. These statistics underscore the challenges Starc has faced in fulfilling the role envisioned for him, impacting KKR’s strategy and their utilization of their most expensive acquisition.

Mitchell Starc’s struggles have extended beyond the powerplay into the critical death overs (16-20) of the matches in this IPL season. Over seven overs bowled in this phase, Starc has leaked runs at an alarming economy rate of 13.70. Excluding a comparatively economical performance against Lucknow Super Giants where he conceded just five runs, his economy rates in the remaining matches have been exceedingly high, recording rates of 18.0, 19.0, 11.5, and 15.5.