Last Updated: April 9, 2026 05:21 PM
Delhi Capitals fans have been waiting impatiently for their biggest overseas signing to arrive. The star Australian pacer Mitchell Starc hasn’t appeared in a single match so far this season. His absence raised countless questions on social media about what’s actually going on.
The franchise spent massive money expecting him to lead their bowling attack from day one. But injury troubles and paperwork delays kept him stuck back home in Australia. Now finally some concrete news has emerged about when he’ll actually land in India.
Why He Missed IPL 2026 Opening Matches
Starc has been dealing with shoulder and elbow injuries since the Big Bash League. The Australian fast bowler needed time to recover properly before jumping into IPL action. Cricket Australia monitored his rehabilitation process very carefully throughout these past few weeks.
He also waited for his NOC from Cricket Australia before traveling anywhere. The NOC process took longer than expected causing frustration for everyone involved. Without this official clearance, he couldn’t join the Delhi Capitals at all legally.
Reports suggested he might miss three games before making his delayed debut appearance. The team management stayed quiet refusing to share any concrete timeline publicly initially. This silence created more speculation and rumors spreading across cricket communities everywhere.
Mitchell Starc Return: Latest Update from DC
Great news finally arrived as he is expected to land in India for IPL 2026 after getting his NOC. Cricket Australia might give him the green light to join the Delhi Capitals soon. The Australian pacer is expected to play against the Punjab Kings on April 25th.
The return date is set for the big clash at Arun Jaitley Stadium. DC’s bowling struggles make his arrival absolutely crucial for their championship ambitions this year. Management plans to fast-track him straight into the playing eleven without delay.
What DC Bowling Coach Said About Starc
Munaf Patel spoke passionately about Starc during a pre-match press conference recently. The bowling coach called him IPL’s second-best bowler after only Jasprit Bumrah. Patel praised his ability to swing the new ball at 140 kmph consistently.
“There is no bigger bowler in the IPL than Starc. Bumrah is the only one I can think of. He has so much experience, he swings at 140kmph plus with the new ball. I follow up with the team every day. Cricket Australia will update us. We need him as our main bowler,” said Munaf.
DC won their opening two matches of IPL 2026 without him but Patel knows that luck won’t last. He kept following up with franchise management and Cricket Australia constantly for updates. The team has Lungi Ngidi, T Natarajan, and Aquib Nabi bowling well currently.
But Mitchell Starc’s return in IPL 2026 will take their attack to another level completely.
