Delhi Capitals suffer massive blow as legendary pacer misses start of Indian Premier League 2026

Star Australian pacer Mitchell Starc will miss the start of IPL 2026. He is the latest Australian player to sit out the opening part of the tournament.

Cricket Australia is taking a careful approach to manage its fast bowlers before a busy international schedule. Delhi Capitals will not have Starc for the first few games, according to cricket.com.au.

The reason is not injury. Cricket Australia is giving him a break to manage his workload. Starc is a senior player, and keeping his body in good condition is important. The Aussie absence at the start of IPL 2026 will affect Delhi Capitals’ plans for the opening matches.

Also read -Mitchell Starc Named ICC Men's Player Of The Month For December 2025

Mitchell Starc to Miss Start of IPL 2026

Mitchell Starc is among Australia’s senior pacers being rested for the early part of IPL 2026. His availability will depend on how he progresses in return-to-play protocols over the coming weeks, according to cricket.com.au.

The 36-year-old’s workload has been a major factor. He played all five Ashes Tests and also featured in the later stages of the Big Bash League. While he stepped away from T20 Internationals last year, he is still important for Australia in longer formats. With a packed international schedule ahead, including tours to South Africa, India, and England, and the ODI World Cup 2027, Cricket Australia is taking a cautious approach.

Impact on Delhi Capitals

Starc was picked by Delhi Capitals for INR 11.75 crore, and his absence will leave a gap in their pace attack at the start. Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood are also set to miss the opening phase under the same workload plan, while Nathan Ellis is out due to a hamstring injury.

The Delhi Capitals started their 2025 season well, winning their first two games, but then their form dropped. Without Mitchell Starc at the start of the season, it will be harder for the Capitals to set the right pace early on. They finished fifth in 2025 and missed the playoffs.

This season, the team has a good mix of Indian and overseas players. KL Rahul may open the batting, while players like Prithvi Shaw, Ben Duckett, and Pathum Nissanka give them strong options at the top order. The Capitals are still looking for their first IPL trophy. They will start their 2026 campaign against Lucknow Super Giants on April 1 and will hope for a winning start.

Delhi Capitals Full squad for IPL 2026

Axar Patel(c), KL Rahul, Abishek Porel, Tristan Stubbs, Karun Nair, Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Madhav Tiwari, Tripurana Vijay, Ajay Mandal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mitchell Starc, T Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar, Dushmantha Chameera, Nitish Rana, David Miller, Ben Duckett, Auqib Nabi Dar, Pathum Nissanka, Lungi Ngidi, Sahil Parakh, Prithvi Shaw, Kyle Jamieson