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Starc keen to turn RCB’s fortunes around

Tue 21 Apr 2015, 12:00 am

Starc keen to turn RCB’s fortunes around
Summary

Aussie left-arm pacer hopes to play against CSK and give RCB their first home win this season

Royal Challengers Bangalore have had a tough time at home so far in Pepsi IPL 2015. They have lost both their home games, allowing Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians to take away two points from their respective matches. Their last loss, against MI, in particular, exposed the chinks in RCB’s bowling attack. Now, as they face one of their toughest opponents in the tournament, RCB’s bowling has received a shot in the arm. Ahead of their third home game, against Chennai Super Kings, the RCB camp was boosted by the arrival of Mitchell Starc. Australia’s World Cup hero was sidelined right after winning the cup with a knee injury, forcing him to miss the initial part of the IPL. A day after joining his IPL team Starc said he looked forward to playing cricket again and changing his team’s fortunes. “The knee feels good. I am excited to play some cricket again after a three-week gap,” he said. “It is nice to be training again with the team and be back in Bangalore with the boys. It would have been nice to be here from the start but I am here now and it feels good. “I was pretty disappointed not to be here from the start but now I am here and I will try to catch up, pick some wickets when I get the chance.” With their bowling having let them down in the last two games, RCB will be heavily banking on the left-arm pacer to add muscle to the department. Starc doesn’t see it as an added pressure but an exciting challenge. “It is exciting. I enjoy the challenge and that is why I enjoy bowling in the death as well. It gives me a chance to pull off a win. We may have not fared well in the last two games but you can turn it around pretty quickly in T20 cricket. We are looking forward to putting on a good show for the home crowd,” Starc said. Starc was a revelation in the World Cup, ending it as the tournament’s highest wicket-taker. His pace accompanied by the ability to swing the ball did many a batsman in. He credited this success over the last 12 months to the work he put in with Australia’s bowling coach, Craig McDermott. “I have been working with Craig McDermott on a few things like knowing a bit more about my wrist position and trying to get that ball swinging. It has been working for me well in the last few months and hopefully it will continue in all the formats.”