At the beginning of September 2025, Mitch Starc announced he would be retiring from the International T20 format.
Starc has always put playing Test cricket for Australia at the very top of his priorities.
At the peak of his career, he regularly opted against pursuing lucrative deals in the IPL to ensure he was fit and ready to don the baggy green for Australia.
It should come as no surprise, then, that Starc's decision to retire from International T20 was made with the intention of prolonging his Test career.
However, the 35-year-old admitted it was a difficult decision to decide which white-ball format he would relinquish. Recently, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith and Marcus Stoinis have all retired from ODIs.
"I umm-ed and ahh-ed about which was the right [format] to put to the side," said Starc, reported by cricket.com.au.
"If I wasn't going to be in the frame for 2027, then I didn't want to hold up the spot."
"I feel like I've got plenty to offer the ODI team and with that goal of getting my body to 2027 - but also being good enough to be in that team for the World Cup in 2027."
Starc's intention to hang around for the 2027 ODI World Cup is an exciting prospect.
What has Starc's white-ball career looked like so far, and what could it still become?
Starc's T20 career in review
Starc steps away from International T20s with an impressive record in the format.
He made his T20 debut in 2012, having already played Test and ODI cricket. In his first T20 World Cup, in 2012, he took 10 wickets at age 22.
He is the highest wicket-taker in the format among Australian fast bowlers, with 79 wickets in his 65 games at an average of 23.81.
Leg-spinner Adam Zampa is the only more prolific Australian T20 wicket-taker with 130 wickets.
Currently sitting on 73 T20I wickets, it is possible, even likely, that Josh Hazlewood will overtake Starc as Australia's most successful T20I fast bowler. He is currently part of the T20 squad touring New Zealand and is likely to feature in the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Nevertheless, Starc has been a consistent contributor for Australia in T20 World Cup tournaments. He is the second-highest wicket-taker for Australia in that tournament, with 32 wickets (again, only behind Adam Zampa with 36 wickets).
Starc was also involved in Australia's first and only T20 World Cup victory in 2021, being a crucial player throughout the tournament.
Unfortunately for Starc, despite being known as a big-game player, the 2021 final itself was not Starc's day. He ended with figures of 0/60, despite the Australians' victory.
Last year, throughout the 2024 T20 World Cup, Starc became the most prolific white-ball World Cup bowler ever, of any nationality.
He overtook Lasith Malinga's record of 94 wickets in both T20 and ODI World Cups, and he currently has 97 wickets across both tournaments.
What lies ahead in ODIs for Starc
Starc's ODI career has been even more sensational, and it is yet to reach its conclusion.
Many exciting records could be broken by Starc if he makes it to the 2027 tournament.
Starc's 65 ODI World Cup wickets represent the third-highest number of wickets taken by any player in the tournament.
He sits behind fellow Australian Glenn McGrath (71 wickets) and Sri-Lankan spinner Muthiah Muralidaran (68 wickets). Should he feature in 2027, Starc has an opportunity to become, statistically, the greatest Cricket World Cup bowler of all time.
Few Australian cricket fans will forget Starc's heroics in Australia's 2015 ODI World Cup win. He was the player of the tournament, and his yorker that sent Brendon McCullum back to the sheds in the first over of the final goes down as an iconic Australian sporting moment.
In terms of overall ODI wickets, Starc will likely add to his 244 ODI wickets (fourth highest wickets taken by an Australian in ODIs), but it is unlikely he will surpass Glenn McGrath or Brett Lee's totals of 380 ODI wickets each.
Beyond individual achievements, Starc has the opportunity to join an elite group of Australians who have won three ODI World Cups.
Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist and Glenn McGrath are currently the only players to be involved in three World Cup victories.
Josh Hazlewood would also join Starc in this group should the Australians win in 2027 (pending selection). By some definitions, all of the "big three" quicks could join this group. In 2023, Pat Cummins captained Australia to a World Cup victory. In 2015, Cummins was part of the World Cup squad, playing two games, but did not feature in the final.
As Starc admitted, it is not only a matter of ensuring he remains fit to play in 2027, but being able to keep his spot in the team. He will be months away from turning 38 when the 2027 World Cup is underway.
Whilst his T20 career is over, it is exciting that he has opted to continue in the ODI arena, where he has been so dominant.
Regardless of what the future holds for Starc, he will go down as one of Australia's greatest all-format bowlers.
