Starc Steps Up: Lone Senior Pacer Ready for Ashes Pressure Test

With skipper Pat Cummins, sidelined by back stress issue, and Hazlewood nursing a hamstring strain, Starc will spearhead a light on experience Australian fast bowling unit comprising Scott Boland, debutant Brendan Doggett and all-rounder Cameron Green.

"I think we're all pretty clear on what our roles are. Obviously I've got a little bit more experience there. Scotty's been around for a fair while now, so it's not like I'm telling him what to do."

"We've got Patty in the sheds with us anyway. So, I may take on a little bit of an experienced role, if you like. But we've all been around the traps for a while, so it's just staying together as a group."

"I don't listen anyway. I'm not someone who's going to bowl within myself or be cautious with anything. It is what it is. You can't prepare for Test three, four and five without playing the first one. We're all focused on this week. It'll be handbrake off and away we go," Starc told reporters on Wednesday.

Starc also backed Doggett to cope with the pressure of an Ashes debut, as Australia's third pace bowling option. Doggett first got a call-up to the Australian team during the 2018 Test tour of the UAE against Pakistan, and Starc felt the bowler has come a long way since then.

"Brendan was a lot younger and rawer then. We knew what he was about, and since then he's made the change to South Australia. I think he's come in red-hot. He's had a good couple of weeks. We as a group know what he's capable of, and the skills that he presents."

"And being a little bit older than back in 2018, he's probably a little bit more comfortable in his own skin and around the group. So really excited if he gets his opportunity this week to see what he can do on a Test arena. Having had him around the group for a while over the years, I think he's certainly in a great headspace," he added.

Despite both Australian and English batters struggling on lively training pitches this week, Starc dismissed suggestions of a 'green Mamba' surface for the Ashes opener, saying such predictions were likely to be missing the mark.

"It's all good and well to look at the wicket, but until both teams have played on it, we're not really sure what it's actually going to do. The (training) wickets have had a little bit in them out the back, there's been some sideways and some up and down."

"We obviously know that everyone here likes to talk about the pace and bounce of Perth (but) we've seen wickets here that have been really flat and pretty docile. So everyone can say what they want about the wicket, but until you've played on it, we won't know what to expect."

- IANS