Ashes hero Mitchell Starc looks back at tumultuous phase: I probably didn't want to play cricket at all

Australia pacer Mitchell Starc, who won the Allan Border medal on Saturday, admitted that there have been times in the past couple of years when he wanted to stop playing the game.

Ashes hero and Allan Border medalist Australia pacer Mitchell Starc on Saturday revealed that there was a time when he was on the verge of quitting the sport. Starc managed to keep his cricket going despite a below-par outing against India in the 2020-21 Test series at home while also losing his father to the dreaded disease soon after.

"Obviously last year was particularly tough on and off the field," Starc was quoted as saying by foxsports.com.au.

"I probably didn't play the cricket I wanted to and, at certain stages, I probably didn't want to play cricket at all."

Starc was heavily criticised after he took just 11 wickets at 40.72 in the series against India. His performance in the ICC T20 World Cup in the UAE too left a lot to be desired, with the pacer conceding 60 runs without taking a wicket in his four overs in the final.

Criticism by spin legend Shane Warne ahead of the Ashes didn't help either and Starc made it clear that it did not go down well with him. He ended the Ashes as one of the team's key performers in its 4-0 drubbing of England. Starc played in all the five Ashes Tests and finished with 19 wickets at an average of 25.37.

"I think, what was it? It was a straight half-volley on leg stump I think someone (Warne) said," Starc said on the criticism from the legendary Australian spinner.

"What would you like me to speak to him (Warne) about? It doesn't interest me at all. He's (Warne) entitled to his opinion. I'm just going to go about my cricket the way I'd like to, and I've got my family support networks and I get to play cricket with some of my best mates, so I'm pretty comfortable with where I'm at," Starc added.