For reasons unknown, Mitchell Starc was a late scratching from the ICC Champions Trophy tournament but has since come clean to reveal he is suffering a slight ankle injury.

The fast bowler was set to head to Pakistan to take part in the eight-nation tournament before it was announced he would not play due to personal reasons. However, after making an appearance on the podcast Willow Talk with Brad Haddin and Alyssa Healy, he revealed some ankle pain was bothering him.

With the ICC World Test Championship Final against South Africa in London in June, Starc said that he wants to take the time off to make sure his body is right for that match.

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"I had a bit of ankle pain through the Test series, so I just need to get that one right," he said.

"Obviously we have the Test final coming up and a West Indies tour after that. There is some IPL cricket as well.

"But the main one at the top of my mind is the Test final. Get my body right, play some cricket in the next couple of months and then ready to go for the Test final."

Starc is one-third of a superstar three-man bowling attack with Pat Cummings and Josh Hazlewood who are both sitting out this tournament as well. Spencer Johnson will now be the head of Australia's pace attack.