Brisbane, 4 September 2025:
Writing for Western Australia, former fast bowler Mitchell Johnson said Mitchell Starc’s decision to retire from Twenty20 internationals has come at the right time.
After helping Australia win the T20 World Cup in 2021 and the ODI World Cup in 2023, Johnson wrote, Starc is narrowing his focus to Tests and one-day internationals. At 35, he has little left to prove in the shortest format, and every over he saves there is an over he can deliver in the Ashes.
Starc’s T20I record — 74 wickets in 63 games at an average a touch over 23 — is strong. But Johnson argued that his true legacy has been built in ODIs and Tests, when rhythm and pressure bring out his best.
Johnson then turned to Pat Cummins, who is dealing with a mild back stress injury. Chief selector George Bailey said Cummins may miss warm-up games and could still be picked for the first Test without match practice. Cummins, too, expressed confidence he could perform even without Sheffield Shield cricket.
Johnson questioned that approach. Cummins, 32, has a history of back problems, and heading into an Ashes series without red-ball preparation, he wrote, is “far from ideal.” Back injuries linger, especially with the load Cummins has carried as captain across all formats.
Five Tests in seven weeks, Johnson noted, is a brutal stretch for any bowler. While he said he is no fan of rotation policies, he acknowledged Cummins may need to be managed.
If that happens, Johnson pointed to Scott Boland as the natural replacement. Boland has already dismantled England in home conditions with his relentless accuracy, and Johnson said his style is “tailor-made for the Ashes.”
Johnson concluded that there is no need to panic yet. Starc’s T20 retirement is smart, Cummins has time to recover, but if the captain isn’t fully fit, it could change the Ashes tactically, physically and psychologically — for both Australia and England.
