Mitchell Starc Retires From T20Is; Find Out Who Can Replace Him for Australia

Australia will travel to New Zealand in the month of October to play a short three-match T20I series. The series will start on October 1 and will end on October 4. Since it's a short series, it will be interesting to see how teams manage their workload. Ahead of the tour, Australia suffered a huge blow as their star bowler Mitchell Starc has retired from T20Is. Over the years, Starc has emerged into one of the best bowlers in the world across formats.

Australia will miss Starc because of his invaluable contributions to the team. Moreover, not having their best man with the new ball means they'll have to look for someone else who can fill in his shoes in the upcoming series. With the T20 World Cup 2026 coming up, Australia will be looking for bowlers who can replace Mitchell Starc in the T20I team. Let's have a look at some players who can replace the legendary left-arm quick.

Top 3 Bowlers Who Can Replace Mitchell Starc in Australia's T20I Team

Australia have produced some of the GOAT cricketers over the years and Starc is one of them. Since Mitchell Starc will no longer be a part of the Australian squad, the selectors will have an eye on his replacement before the World Cup starts.

1. Nathan Ellis

Nathan Ellis has worked really hard to establish his position as one of the best T20 specialists in Australia. He has nerves of steel and great control at the death overs which has undeniably helped him become a match-winner in those situations. His strength is the ability to nail yorkers consistently under any level of pressure and applying them with slower balls that have batters playing guesswork.

He has a very impressive record in the Big Bash League for the Hobart Hurricanes and has been one of the leading wicket-takers consistently. Abbott's bowling at the death makes him a perfect Mitchell Starc replacement in Australia's white-ball set-up. Ellis brings top quality international experience having played in Australia's T20I setup for the past couple of years.

He will be remembered for making headlines after becoming the first player to take a hat-trick on T20I debut, clearly showing that he has an eye for memorable moments. If Australia are looking for somebody reliable in the death overs of matches, they are most likely to consider Ellis.

2. Ben Dwarshuis

Ben Dwarshuis is an exciting left-arm fast bowler, who has variations and lends balance to the team. Dwarshuis, playing with the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League, has become a viable wicket-taking option, both with the new ball and in the slog overs. Similarly, being a left-arm bowler like Starc helps generate interest, allowing Australia to keep variation in their bowling attack.

What makes Dwarshuis an option for getting an early wicket is his ability to strike early in the powerplay. He has often taken early wickets by attacking the stumps and getting any movement available with the new ball. He could be a great replacement for Mitchell Starc as he can contribute with the bat as well. He also featured in Australia's Champions Trophy 2025 campaign, where they lost to India in the semi-final.

3. Sean Abbott

Sean Abbott has long been synonymous to Australian cricket, providing flexibility with the ball and the ability to contribute with the bat. A veteran of the Big Bash League with the Sydney Sixers and one of the more frequent wicket-takers in the competition, Abbott has been a reliable performer.

He might not be as quick as Starc, he has different skills with the ball in terms of variations, bounce, and slower deliveries that aren't easily detected. For this reason he is able to pose threats at different points in the game. He is a quality bowler in T20 cricket and his experience could make him a perfect replacement of Mitchell Starc.