Australian Cricketer reveals positive impact on his body after not playing in Indian T20 League

Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc recently opened up on the positive impact of not opting to play in the Indian T20 League since 2015 on his body. Starc said that it helped him physically and mentally as well, as he could spend some time off cricket and with his cricketer wife Alyssa Healy.

"It's not been great for the back pocket," Starc said with a smile. "(But) it certainly helped my body If I look at the last couple of years of Test cricket, that decision has certainly helped – just the holistic approach to life and being able to see that when both of us (him and Alyssa) have a little bit of time away from cricket. Mentally and physically it's been hugely beneficial and probably paid for itself,” said Starc in a conversation with cricket.com.au.

Starc has just played two editions of the tournament in 2014 and 2015. The left-arm seamer stands on the brink of becoming just the fifth Australian seamer and seventh player to reach 300 Test wickets and is just four scalps away from the milestone.

Starc will join Glenn McGrath (561 Test wickets), Dennis Lillee (355), Mitchell Johnson (313) and Brett Lee as the only Aussie quicks to the 300-mark, while Nathan Lyon (450) and Shane Warne (708) are the only spinners.

In the past few years, Starc has even added the 'wobble-seam' ball to his arsenal. A delivery which reduces the chance of swing but increases the likelihood of seam movement. The 32-year-old further revealed how he’s learned several tricks bowling with Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.

It'd be extremely stupid of me if I didn't work closely with Josh and Pat: Mitchell Starc

"Picking up things along the way from Josh and Pat – it'd be extremely stupid of me if I didn't work closely with those two," said Starc. "They're two of my closest mates who are a couple of the best bowlers in the world.

"I've picked up a few thing along the way from them – we often talk about cricket and I've picked up a few things, whether it be the wobble seam or how they go about it. That's one thing our group does really well, but specifically the four of us bowlers who are extremely close. That, plus a tighter focus on red-ball cricket, has played a part in those last couple of years,” he added.

The Aussie pace trio along with spinner Nathan Lyon, are the first quartet in Test history to have taken the field together having 200 wickets each. Australia will next face South Africa in a three-match Test series at home starting on 17^th December at the Gabba.