LONDON: Mitchell Starc may have leaked runs in the World Test Cham­pionship final against India but his wicket-taking ability is crucial to the balance of the Australia pace attack heading into the Ashes series against England, coach Andrew McDonald said on Monday.

The left-arm quick claimed four wickets but went for 5.34 runs an over — the most expensive performance in his 78-Test career — at The Oval in London, where Australia triumphed by 209 runs with Scott Boland impressing the most among the Australian seamers.

While Pat Cummins is safe as the captain of the side, a fit-again Josh Hazlewood would join Starc and Boland in the race for the remaining two spots in Australia’s pace attack for the first Ashes test later this week.

McDonald said Starc was not the only bowler who went for runs against India and that the 33-year-old lent much balance to their pace attack.

“Most of our bowlers went at above what they’d usually go, and we’ve just got to get our heads around that the tempo will be slightly different,” McDonald told reporters before Australia moved to Edgbaston, which hosts the first Test from Friday.

“Mitch went at a bit more than he generally goes at, but they complement each other really, really well. His wicket-taking ability is second-to-none. We’ve got to weigh all that up when we make decisions.”

Cummins also threw his weight behind Starc, tipping him to play a key role in the five-Test series in England.

“He did a role for us that we know Starcy can do after 80 Test matches,” Cummins said after Sunday’s win against India. “He has got a huge tour ahead of him and will play a huge role for us.

“The English side sets up slightly different as well. There are a few more left-handers. The wicket is going to be a bit different. I’m really happy with where Starcy is.”

Back home, Australian media congratulated Cum­mins’ side on Monday following their triumph — but warned it will quickly be forgotten if they do not win the Ashes.

Chief cricket writer Ben Horne said in The Australian that the team deserved praise for handing India “an old fashioned thrashing”.

“But deep down they know that the main prize is still to be won, because the brutal truth is this fine accomplishment from Pat Cummins’ men will soon be forgotten if Australia doesn’t win the Ashes.”

Australian selectors now face a major decision on whether to stick with seamer Scott Boland for the first Test at Edgbaston or bring back pace spearhead Josh Hazlewood, who is returning from injury.

After Boland’s second-innings exploits at The Oval, including the prize scalp of Virat Kohli on Sunday on his way to figures of 3-46 in 16 overs, local media agreed it would be almost impossible to drop him.

“The single greatest Australian cricket story of the past two years, and a bowler whose knack of conjuring momentary magic inside spells of sustained excellence is shared with the true bowling greats of the game,” wrote Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Dean Bilton.

Australia’s victory was the culmination of a two-year programme of Tests that saw them win 12 out of 20 matches, with five draws and three defeats.

Local media said there had been “turbulence and reinvention” after former skipper Tim Paine stepped down over a sexting scandal in late 2021 and Justin Langer quit as coach in acrimonious circumstances months later.

With the more reserved Andrew McDonald now in charge and Cummins growing into his role as skipper, national broadcaster ABC said Australia had morphed into “a more balanced, rounded and complete side”.

“Not every decision has been right, not every situation perfectly handled, but as Cummins wrestled that (WTC) mace in front of a team that is now unequivocally his, it’s hard to argue against them,” it said. “Now comes the chance to prove it, once and for all, in the biggest Test series of a generation.”

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2023