New Delhi, March 23 (NationPress) The head coach of Delhi Capitals, Hemang Badani, has revealed that the team is eagerly anticipating the arrival of Australian left-arm bowler Mitchell Starc as they prepare for IPL 2026. The franchise is currently waiting for him to obtain the No-Objection Certificate (NoC) from Cricket Australia.

At the age of 36, Starc is expected to be unavailable for at least the initial segment of IPL 2026 as Cricket Australia is closely monitoring his workload in light of an upcoming busy international season. His absence will necessitate some adjustments in Delhi Capitals’ bowling strategy, especially since Starc is intended to be their leading pace option.

Last season, Starc emerged as the franchise’s second-highest wicket-taker, securing 14 wickets across 11 matches, and DC retained him by acquiring his services for Rs 11.75 crore during the auction prior to the 2025 season. The Delhi Capitals are set to kick off their IPL 2026 journey against the Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on April 1.

“In relation to Mitchell Starc, we are awaiting updates from Cricket Australia. We are in anticipation of him receiving the NoC from them. Once that happens, we’ll have a clearer idea of his availability and when he can join the team,” said Badani.

“We maintain regular communication with him. We have received updates indicating he has been bowling, including a session just two days ago. However, until Cricket Australia officially certifies his fitness to play, there is little that can be done from the franchise's side,” he added during the pre-season press conference on Monday.

DC's Director of Cricket, Venugopal Rao, confirmed that they will provide clarity once Starc’s participation in IPL 2026 is confirmed. “No, he is coming. He is currently waiting for clearance from Cricket Australia regarding both his workload and fitness. We are monitoring the situation closely, and we will inform you as soon as we have more information,” Rao stated.

DC Captain Axar Patel expressed a hopeful outlook, suggesting that Starc could receive the NoC anytime before April 1. He noted that finding a similar replacement, like Indian left-arm pacer T Natarajan, may be more challenging than it appears.

“Although we haven’t received a definitive date for Starc’s arrival, I believe he could potentially join us before our first match. If he acquires the NoC, he might even be with us before the opening game, and no specific timeline has been communicated indicating he will miss any matches,” Patel stated.

“Currently, he has not been issued the NoC, but we have been informed that he is likely to clear it. We are simply awaiting updates. If he does not arrive, we won’t be simply looking for another left-arm bowler to fill his spot; we will evaluate the overall team composition, including our four international players and the balance of our Indian players,” he explained.

“Based on that assessment, we will decide whether to field Natarajan as a left-handed replacement. He has shown great form since last year and has also trained in Dubai. We are monitoring his progress, and he is currently 100% fit.”