This Ashes summer has been exceptional just because Mitchell Starc keeps showing up. The left-arm quick is about to accomplish something that no Australian fast bowler has done in almost 70 years as he gets ready for the Sydney Test. It now feels more like a statement than a streak to have three consecutive home summers without missing a Test. Starc has the opportunity to cap off one of the most comprehensive Ashes performances in recent memory during the SCG Test.
Although Australia currently holds the urn, a victory in Sydney would make the series score 4–1. Due to injuries, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon have managed just two Tests between them, leaving Starc to handle the majority of the job virtually by himself.
He has not only filled in. With 26 wickets at an average of 17.42, Starc leads the series. Despite the heavy load, he maintains control and strikes at crucial times. His economy rate, which is a little over four, illustrates the lack of relief that England's hitters have had. With 151 runs at an average of 30, he has also contributed significant runs down the order, frequently converting strong positions into commanding ones.

His series could reach unprecedented heights with another successful game in Sydney. With four more wickets, he would have the most Ashes haul of any Australian since Mitchell Johnson's lethal 37-wicket summer in 2013–14. The 29 wickets that Pat Cummins took in the 2019 series are already very close. Starc might perhaps be considered for the greatest all-around Ashes performance of the modern era with a few more runs.
His availability is also impressive. Starc will play his 27th consecutive Test in Sydney. He has only missed four of Australia's 56 Test matches since the conclusion of the 2019 Ashes. Because of his longevity, there has been a genuine discussion about how far his career could go inside the Australian system.

Andrew McDonald On Mitchell Starc
Starc's participation in the 2027 Ashes in England, a tour that would see him long past his 37th birthday, has not been ruled out by coach Andrew McDonald.
"Historically, you would say realistically it's not possible as a fast bowler to get through that. But is it possible with Mitchell Starc? I think it is," McDonald said.
"Our medical team, the players and the coaches as a collective have done a really good job in managing players in and out of different series. We have our priority series, so if we were to manage him around that and place him well, then it's possible," he added.

Ray Lindwall was the last Australian fast bowler to participate in a men's Test at his age in 1960. Starc's form and perseverance have guaranteed his spot in Australia's plans despite a challenging calendar that includes tours of India and England, a World Cup, and a possible World Test Championship final.