Ashes 2025-26: Mitchell Starc becomes 2nd Australian player after Pat Cummins to achieve rare WTC double
Mitchell Starc scored a gritty 77 in the 2nd Ashes Test against England at The Gabba on Saturday to complete 1,000 runs in the World Test Championship.
Mitchell Starc became only the second Australian cricketer, after Pat Cummins, to complete a rare double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in the World Test Championship (WTC) on Saturday, December 06. Starc achieved the feat during Day 3 of the ongoing second Test between Australia and England at The Gabba in Brisbane in the Ashes 2025-26.
Starc, who already has more than 200 wickets in the World Test Championship, completed his 1,000 runs in the competition en route to his gritty 77-run knock in Australia's first innings of the day-night Test match against England at The Gabba. Starc notched up his 12th Test fifty and helped Australia extend their lead to 177 runs by guiding the hosts to 511/10 in response to England's first innings total of 334 runs.
Starc was 43 runs away from completing 1,000 runs in the WTC and managed to breach the mark in the 98th over of Australia's first innings on Day 3 of the second Ashes Test against England. He became only the second Australian, after Test captain Cummins, to complete the double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in the WTC. He also became the 9th Australian player to complete 1,000 runs in the competition.
Australian players with 100 wickets and 1,000 runs in WTC:
Pat Cummins - 1020 runs, 215 wickets
Mitchell Starc - 1034 runs, 207 wickets*
Starc is currently the third-highest wicket-taker in the World Test Championship with 207 wickets to his name in 51 matches for Australia in the competition. He is only behind his Aussie teammates Cummins (215) and Nathan Lyon (219), who hold the top two spots currently. Starc will be hoping to add to his tally during England's second innings of the ongoing 2nd Ashes Test in Brisbane.
Mitchell Starc on fire with the ball in Ashes 2025-26
Starc has been on fire with the ball for Australia in the Ashes 2025-26. Despite Travis Head's stunning match-winning ton in the first Test in Perth, Starc won the Player of the Match award for his bowling heroics in the game. Starc bagged ten wickets in the match, including a seven-wicket haul in England's first innings in Perth.
The left-arm pacer continued his stellar run in the ongoing 2nd Test against England at The Gabba with a six-wicket haul in their first innings. He is currently the leading wicket-taker in the Ashes 2025-26 with 16 wickets to his name in two Test matches in the series so far.