'Absolute highways': Mitchell Starc surprised by India vs England pitches, says he’d hate bowling to Shubman Gill on such tracks

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: Jul 11, 2025, 18:59 IST

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Mitchell Starc voiced his astonishment at the batting-friendly pitches in the India-England Test series, labeling them "absolute highways." He admitted he wouldn't want to bowl to a in-form Shubman Gill on such surfaces. Starc observed the conditions resembled the sub-continent, making it challenging for bowlers, while dismissing concerns about high scores in England.

'Absolute highways': Mitchell Starc surprised by India vs England pitches, says he’d hate bowling to Shubman Gill on such tracks

Shubman Gill (Pic credit: BCCI)

NEW DELHI: Australian pace spearhead Mitchell Starc has expressed surprise at the batter-friendly pitches in the ongoing India-England Test series, describing them as “absolute highways” and admitting he wouldn't want to bowl to an in-form Shubman Gill on such surfaces.Live Score: India vs England, 3rd TestGill, who took over as India's Test captain from Rohit Sharma just ahead of the five-match series, has been in blistering form, amassing nearly 600 runs in two Tests, including a double hundred and two centuries. His performances have helped India level the series 1-1, with the 269 and 161 at Edgbaston proving particularly decisive.

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Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Speaking on the Willow Talk Podcast, Starc joked, “I wouldn't bowl to him (Gill) in England, that's for sure… Who would be a kid in England and want to bowl on some of those wickets?”He noted the conditions seemed oddly familiar: “From all reports, it was very sub-continent-like, which I find hard to believe. The pitches looked brutal for bowlers.”

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When asked by Alyssa Healy if the high scores in England ahead of the Ashes concerned him, Starc dismissed the idea: “They're playing on absolute highways. What do you take out of 300 runs in a Test and India bowling them out? They're not playing for draws — that's what you take from it.”

For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here.
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