Mitchell Starc will “push through” the pain of a rib injury to compete in the final Test against India, according to teammate Alex Carey.
An injury cloud has been lingering over Starc after it was announced that he was carrying a rib injury.
The 34-year-old appeared to be battling injury on day 3 of the fourth Test but continued competing with assistance from team physios.
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With Australian selectors likely to be weighing up the fate of Starc, Carey admitted he has no concerns about his teammate’s fitness.
“He’ll be fine. He will push through,” Carey said on Wednesday.
“I’ve played with Starcy for a long time now and he is one of the toughest cricketers that I’ve played with.
“He’ll grimace and grab his rib without a doubt at times but he’ll be ready for the contest.”
If Starc were to be rested for the final series, Jhye Richardson would likely be called in as his replacement.
Richardson last appeared in the Test format for Australia in December 2021, where he took five second-innings wickets.
Asked about the prospect of being called back into the team, Richardson admitted he is not lifting his hopes of receiving a call.
“It hard to think about that,” he said.
“You can’t spend too much energy wondering about what’s going to happen with selections.
“[I’m] trying to not think about it too much but if the opportunity arises, I’ll do my best to grab it.”