"India is capable of fielding three different teams against Australia, England and South Africa on the same day": Mitchell Starc

Dinesh Karthik praised India’s cricket depth, saying the team could field two to three teams simultaneously. After India’s 2025 Champions Trophy win, experts highlighted the strength of domestic cricket, with Mitchell Starc noting India is the only nation capable of fielding T20I, ODI, and Test teams on the same day.

“It’s evident that with the IPL deeply embedded in Indian cricket, the nation has the depth to field two or even three teams simultaneously in international cricket and remain highly competitive,” Karthik remarked during the RCB Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit.

“Currently, India finds itself in a fortunate position with such a diverse pool of cricketers, offering a wide range of skills,” he continued.

“The IPL has helped develop a winning attitude in all of our players. Additionally, the financial benefits that teams and their stakeholders gain have been largely redirected towards improving infrastructure. As infrastructure improves, the overall quality of the sport naturally rises,” Karthik explained.

“To me, the way Australia played during that period was quite a revelation. They had a mentality like a pack of wolves, determined to win every match. However, in my first year with the IPL, I had the chance to work closely with Glenn McGrath, training alongside him, which helped me get to know him better and feel more at ease. That experience boosted my confidence and mindset when competing against the best,” he added.

After India’s 2025 Champions Trophy win, Mitchell Starc praised the country’s talent pool, noting that India is likely the only nation able to field three competitive teams for different formats on the same day.

Starc mentioned during an appearance on the ‘FanaticsTV’ YouTube channel that “India is probably the only nation capable of having a Test team, an ODI team, and a T20 team all playing on the same day, with the Test team facing Australia, the ODI team playing against England, and the T20 team competing with South Africa — and still remain competitive”‘.

“No other nation can achieve that,” he concluded.

The IPL 2025 season will begin on March 22 with the opening match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

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