Tests are Starc's first priority amid busy schedule

Mitchell Starc has revealed cricket's cluttered schedule will eventually prompt him to retire from white-ball formats first in a bid to prolong his Test career.

One of six three-format players in Australia's team, the left-armer is staring at the prospect of more than 100 days of international cricket in the next year.

Australia's busy schedule is highlighted by the fact players moved straight onto a three-match ODI series against England just four days after the visitors' T20 World Cup triumph.

The long list of fixtures also prompted Pat Cummins to last week join Starc in sitting out the IPL, a position the latter has taken since 2016.

Cummins also sat out yesterday's series-clinching 72-run victory at the SCG one match after making his 50-over captaincy debut as part of his managed Test preparations ahead of two and three-match series against the Windies and South Africa respectively this summer.

But Starc said while that was important for body management, it wouldn't enable him to play all three formats too long into the future.

"Not the way it's scheduled these days," Starc said last night following victory in the second ODI.

"It's certainly impossible at the moment to play every game as a three-format player. 

"Having (the IPL period) to rest might help me keep bowling at decent speeds for a period of time.

"(But) I don't think playing three formats is something I can do for a long period moving forward."

Asked if he'd given thought to his long-term plans, the world's former top-ranked ODI bowler said white-ball cricket would be the first to go.

However, the 32-year-old is likely to play onto the T20 World Cup in 2024, with an ODI World Cup hosted by India also next year.

"Tests (are) always first (priority) … far above white-ball," Starc said. 

"I'll decide on the rest as I go and where my body's at and how I feel about it.

"I'd love to, selection and form pending, continue playing Test cricket as long as I can."

Starc enhanced his reputation as the deadliest new-ball bowler in ODIs last night with a sizzling display in the first-over as he removed both Jason Roy and Dawid Malan without scoring on his way to a haul of 4-47 that earned him Player of the Match honours.

Starc has now struck 22 times in the first over of an ODI innings, the most of any bowler in the format since the start of 2012 and has taken 13 wickets in the Powerplay since the beginning of 2021, the joint-most of any player from a Test-playing country in that period alongside Matt Henry and Dushmantha Chameera.

During the recent T20 World Cup Starc was relieved of his first-over duties following Australia's big loss to New Zealand in the opening match of the tournament, and eventually lost his place in the XI for the final match against Afghanistan.

Starc said last night he had "strong opinions" on his omission for that match and had voiced those to national selection chair George Bailey.

"George and I have spoken and that's where it will stay," he said.

"I spoke to George at length, it was a good conversation. Many different things were floated there.

"I still have ambitions to play T20 cricket for Australia, but it is a long time to the next one and a lot of water to go under the bridge.

"So we will face that when we get to that."

Australia travel to Melbourne today ahead of the third ODI on Tuesday where they will be aiming for a series sweep of England, the world's No.1 ranked 50-over side.

Men's Dettol ODI Series v England

1st ODI: Australia won by six wickets

2nd ODI: Australia won by 72 runs

Tuesday Nov 22: MCG, 2:20pm

Australia ODI squad: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

England ODI squad: Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Sam Billings, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, Phil Salt, Olly Stone, James Vince, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Luke Wood

Buy #AUSvENG ODI tickets here