As Shubman Gill’s Test captaincy stint has started off on a resounding note with the bat, Australian pacer Mitchell Starc has weighed in his thoughts, and has also questioned the sort of pitches being rolled out in England. In two completed Tests of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, high totals have been the norm, with the batsmen making the most of the batting-friendly conditions.
Speaking on Willow Talk Podcast, Starc revealed that he has been keeping a check on the scores even as other teammates of his have been watching the India vs England Tests. “I wouldn’t bowl to him in England, that’s for sure. I didn’t see much of the game, I saw the scorecards. There was a few guys that were waking up, particularly Marnus and Alex Carey and Steve Smith who would sit around a coffee machine and watch the game. I did see the scores. Who would be a kid in England and want to bowl on some of those wickets. But from all reports, it was very sub-continent like which I find it hard to believe,” Starc said.
India’s captain Shubman Gill celebrates after scoring a century during day four of the second cricket test match between England and India at Edgbaston in Birmingham, England, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell)
Having appointed captain ahead of the Test series, Gill has overcome technical flaws to ace the conditions thrown up by England. After scoring a century in his maiden innings as captain, he scored 269 & 161 in India’s win at Edgbaston.
On the show, Alyssa Healy asked Starc if the high scores that England are making in the Tests worry him ahead of the Ashes. But Starc said he wasn’t going to get into it as the pitches are totally different to what they could face in Australia. “I don’t read into any of it. Its hard to I mean its the same as they’re probably reading into us over here on wickets that are hard to bat on. And we’re that would be the same as us sitting and going, ‘Ok, they’re playing on absolute highways.’ What do you take out of 300 runs for a Test match and India bowling them out? I don’t know. They are not playing for draws. That’s what you take out of it,” Starc said.
