IPL 2026: Why is Mitchell Starc absent from Delhi Capitals camp? Reason revealed

Delhi Capitals retained Mitchell Starc for IPL 2026.

Delhi Capitals (DC) will aim for their maiden title in the Indian Premier League 2026 under Axar Patel’s captaincy. They will play their opening game on April 1 against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium.

Mitchell Starc is the most crucial pacer in DC‘s squad; they retained him for INR 11.75 crore. However, Starc’s availability is the biggest worry for the team at the moment. The right-arm pacer is yet to join their squad in IPL 2026.

Earlier, reports had suggested that Starc’s workload was being carefully managed by Cricket Australia (CA), given his busy international schedule. Now, the right-arm pacer has provided a massive update about his absence from the tournament.

Mitchell Starc is recovering from shoulder and elbow injuries

In an Instagram post, the Australian pacer revealed that he is recovering from shoulder and elbow injuries. He also dismissed rumours circulating about him in the Indian media.

“Despite the opinions and views of certain individuals with their platforms in and through the Indian media, I’m currently rehabbing and managing an injury in my shoulder and elbow of which I didn’t know the extent of during the Australian summer,” he wrote.

“These individuals have made some strong statements around involvement in the IPL and provided heavily misinformed opinions of players, preached them as facts, and claim to know my body better than me,” he added.

The left-arm pacer also added that he will miss the start of IPL 2026 but will join the DC squad as soon as he completes his rehabilitation.

“With that said I do acknowledge this injury setback and timing is disruptive to the Delhi team and I apologise for that and to the fans for not being available for the early part of this season. I remain committed to join DC, and in continual communication updating the team and will continue to do what I can to be available for DC asap,” Starc concluded.

Last season, Starc picked 14 wickets in 11 games for Delhi at an average of 26.14 and an economy of 10.16, including a five-wicket haul.

Earlier this year, he gave a spectacular performance in The Ashes 2025-26, finishing as the highest wicket-taker with 31 scalps and two half-centuries across five games. He was adjudged Player of the Series.

Meanwhile, Dushmantha Chameera, Mukesh Kumar, T Natarajan, Kyle Jamieson, and Lungi Ngidi are other pacers in the DC squad.

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