Barring the impressive price tag of INR 24.75 crore, Mitchell Starc’s IPL tourney this year has been anything but memorable, with his latest game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Eden Gardens on Sunday further adding to his woes. After KKR posted 222-6, Bengaluru were 35-2 in the fourth over but fifties from Will Jacks and Rajat Patidar got RCB back in the run chase. The visitors needed 49 more in the last five overs, a task that has hardly proven to be a hurdle in this year’s high-scoring league before a masterclass in pace-off bowling increased KKR’s chances.

In the next four overs, bowled by Harshit Rana (two), Varun Chakravarthy, and Andre Russell, KKR conceded only 28 runs for two wickets, leaving Starc to defend 21 runs against Karn Sharma, who had a T20 batting strike rate of 125 before the game. The choice of Starc for the last over was interesting: He had given away 36 runs in his first two overs and had not bowled a since the powerplay. It was also not that KKR did not have other options.

By the end of the 17th over, Rana had one over left and Russell, who turned the game around with his three wickets, had two to spare. Instead of going Russell-Rana-Russell, Shreyas Iyer bowled out Rana by the 18th, entrusting Russell with the all-important 19th over. Russell gave away only 10 after Rana conceded six in his last.

Starc did not have the greatest start. Three sixes in the first four balls threatened to undo all the efforts of his teammates and it was only courtesy of a brilliant full-stretch run out by Phil Salt on the last ball that helped KKR get over the line by one run.

While off-days are to be expected in the sport, it seems to be more than just that for Starc, who is grappling in a format he is not a regular in. He has picked up six wickets in this year’s IPL at an economy rate of 11.48, the worst among all bowlers from the franchise. Starc also averages 47.83 this season – no other KKR bowler averages over 30. He has been expensive in the two phases he majorly bowls in. In the powerplay, he has given 10.8 runs an over and has an economy of 13.7 at the death, the fourth-worst among all bowlers who have sent down at least five overs in that phase.

After the KKR-RCB clash, Rana gave an insight into his team’s game plan, saying the decision was to bowl slower deliveries on a wicket that was holding up. In his last over, Rana, who has hit up to 144.4kph this season, gave away only six, bowling between 109 and 117kph. Starc’s last over, in contrast, did not have a single delivery below 135kph, with five balls over the 140kph mark.

Rana confirmed Starc did not follow the side’s tactics: “He has his own plans. He thinks speed will succeed and I am sure he will win us games one day.”

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Overall, Starc has bowled only 11 slower balls in the competition, according to ESPNCricinfo, which has also been a major reason why he has given away 44 fours, the most by any bowler in the league.

Surely, an international fast bowler, who has been pivotal in Australia’s successes, knows better? If an uncapped Delhi pacer can recognise the demands of the wickets and adapt his game accordingly, Starc should find it easier.

The answer is not as simple. Starc has admitted that his biggest strength was always bowling fast. Ahead of the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE, he had admitted that he would not try slower deliveries and that he does not possess many variations. “I’m not someone who comes out with 24 different types of slow balls, certainly for T20 cricket. I’ve got a bit of speed on my side and focus on doing a few things really well rather than doing a lot of things okay.”

Starc also has had limited game time in India, having last played in the country in 2015, missing the 2016 World Cup due to an injury. Limited exposure to succeeding on wickets that require a repertoire of slower deliveries has also worked against Starc this IPL.

Bowling in Australia, where he can stick to his strength of bowling with the pace on, has yielded better results. In 35 T20s in the country, he averages 20.33 at an economy rate of 7.65. In “SENA” countries, the average drops further to 17.76 with an economy rate of 7.34: the contrast with his performances in Asia in recent years has been stark. Since the start of 2016, his economy rate on slower wickets has been 9.5 or more in 42 percent of the times.

Starc had not entered IPL 2024 with much game time in T20s. His previous outing had been during the 2022 T20 World Cup with his last franchise appearance coming in 2015, and he revealed how his biggest challenge was staying up to speed tactically in T20s, a format that has evolved rapidly since then. While he continues to excel in Tests and ODIs, two formats where the basic principles remain unchanged, T20s need innovation that can only be picked up while playing regularly.

Starc has given more than 47 runs in an IPL match four times this season and blaming all of it on the burden of the price tag would be unfair. KKR, desperate to bring in an international pacer in their ranks, went all out for Starc, who has neither a bag of impressive showings in India nor recent experience. While their reasoning for bidding heavily for him was understandable: a world-class fast bowler adds immense value to the group that has several exciting youngsters – they were also guilty of mixing up formats.

Over the years, KKR have been flexible with their plans and have dropped overseas fast bowlers who have failed – be it Mashrafe Mortaza, bought at 12 times his base price, in 2009; or Shane Bond, the most expensive player at the 2010 auction – instead of playing them as an obligation. Trent Boult, the fourth-most expensive pick in the auction, did not play all games in 2017; neither did Tim Southee last year. Taking the same route with Starc should not be a reason for hesitation.

Dushmantha Chameera can be a direct swap for Starc in the XI. Although mentor Gautam Gambhir has denied they are contemplating such a move saying individuals should not be pulled up as long as the team is performing, Starc’s 18-run 18th over against Rajasthan Royals that cost KKR the game and his last over against RCB that almost lost them the match should be enough for a rethink.

As of now, Starc is arguably the team’s weakest link; and knowing Gambhir, who had prioritised results over reputation during his tenure as KKR captain, it should not be a tough decision for him.