Mitchell Starc will return to the Big Bash League (BBL) for the first time in over a decade. He is joining the Sydney Sixers for the 2025-26 season. This news has generated considerable buzz. However, Starc believes that the changes to the competition’s schedule should not come at the expense of Test cricket.
This piece examines Starc’s return to the BBL after an 11-year absence, his priorities for the future of Australian cricket, and how this might impact the league’s schedule.
Starc’s Return to the BBL After 11 Years
Mitchell Starc just signed with the Sydney Sixers. Thing is, this is his first go in the Big Bash League since that 2011-12 season way back. He got into six games that year. One stood out, the championship final where he snagged two wickets and helped the team grab the title.
Later on he popped up for four more matches over some seasons. After that, Starc pretty much ditched domestic T20. He put all his energy into international cricket instead. Australia’s Test games took priority every time.
Starc hung up his T20I boots in 2023. Now that he’s wrapped up the Ashes back in January, he’s clear to suit up for the BBL. The thing is, it lets him get into maybe three matches or so. Depends on bouncing back from that rough five-Test slog. Oh, and if the Sixers push through to the finals, his showing up adds a real boost of star power to the whole thing.
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Starc Places Test Cricket Ahead of T20 Leagues
While Mitchell Starc is looking forward to turning out for the BBL again, he has stated that Test cricket is still his number-one priority. “Test cricket is the pinnacle,” Starc declared. His firm position is against the background of continuing debate on domestic T20 leagues such as the BBL schedule, particularly as Cricket Australia weighs up private ownership of the competition.
Starc stressed that the BBL must not disrupt the Test cricket calendar in the event of any change. “The Test summer is the Test summer,” he asserted.
“I would hate to see that change for domestic cricket.” Starc felt that though T20 tournaments such as the BBL and IPL were significant, they must not detract from the relevance of the longest version of the game. He also signaled his approval for a reduced BBL window, recognizing that T20 cricket is not as physically demanding as the demands of Test cricket.
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A Shot in the Arm for the BBL with Starc’s Return
Starc coming back to the BBL gives the whole thing a real boost. You know, the competitions gearing up for this big 2023-24 season thats got a lot of attention. His signing on is just one more sign that global stars are jumping in more and more. Like, that Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is already locked in with the Sydney Thunder.
Hell play the full run of it.On January 16, there is a chance of a star-studded matchup between the Sixers and Thunder at the SCG. Starc, Ashwin, David Warner, Steven Smith, and possibly Pakistan’s Babar Azam are all set to play in the same game.
Alistair Dobson, the BBL Head said “To have Mitch signing off for Sixers it just shows that it’s still a comp that everyone wants to play in,” he said.
Short-Term BBL Availability for Starc
Even though he has returned to the BBL, Starc’s availability can be restricted. With Australia’s Test obligations in India planned for January 2027, Starc has already declared that he intends to play his international cricket up to the 2027 ODI World Cup. Consequently, his participation within the BBL can be irregular, as Test cricket will always be prioritized.
The perennial issue for the BBL is finding a definitive window in the global calendar in which Australian Test players can play in the competition without clashing with their international obligations. This has been a key issue for discussion for potential investors, particularly as Cricket Australia considers bringing in private investment to the league.
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