Mitchell Starc Surpasses Stuart Broad to Claim No. 9 Batting Record in Tests
Starc Overtakes Broad as the Most Prolific No. 9 Batter in Test History the line alone signals a major shift in one of Test cricket’s most unusual but fiercely followed subplots. Mitchell Starc has quietly stepped past Stuart Broad to become the highest-scoring No. 9 in Test history, finishing with 1408 runs at the position. Broad’s long-standing tally of 1389 finally has a new owner.
It’s not a record that typically makes headlines, yet it has always carried a certain charm. The No. 9 role has produced some of the most dramatic momentum swings in Tests, and Starc has lived in that space for a decade. Big shots, quick runs, and the ability to change an innings within minutes — all part of the left-armer’s identity.
Broad held the mark for years, mostly because of his longevity and streaky batting spells. But Starc’s rise is different. He didn’t climb there through sheer volume of matches. He did it by consistently contributing lower-order runs in pressure moments, often when Australia needed someone to hold the innings together longer than expected.
Also Read:https://cric2day.com/venkatesh-iyer-transfer-interest-csk/
When looking at the list he now leads, the company tells its own story:
- Mitchell Starc — 1408 runs
- Stuart Broad — 1389 runs
- Tim Southee — 1245 runs
- Daniel Vettori — 1105 runs
- Brett Lee — 1003 runs
This is a collection of bowlers who shaped modern cricket in their own ways, yet Starc stands apart for combining extreme pace with the willingness to counter-attack when batting resources look thin. His ability to turn a modest total into a competitive one has helped Australia countless times, especially overseas.
There’s also the evolution of his batting technique to consider. Early in his career, Starc swung hard, relied on hand-eye timing, and rarely looked settled. Over time he found a rhythm that matched his strengths — clean swings through the line, strong base, and the confidence to challenge lengths rather than survive them. It isn’t polished batting, but it has intent and clarity, something Australia’s dressing room has valued deeply.
This milestone also says something about the role modern fast bowlers have taken on. With the demands of Test cricket shifting and teams valuing depth more than ever, the No. 9 position is no longer a formality. Runs here influence declarations, field placements, and momentum. Starc’s contributions have regularly forced captains to rethink their plans, simply because he refuses to be a tailender who blocks time.
Broad’s numbers, meanwhile, came with a different flavour. He enjoyed streaks of batting brilliance before a short-ball injury changed his approach. Even then, his fighting spirit ensured he kept adding valuable runs. For Starc to move past a cricketer as influential as Broad speaks to both endurance and improvement — qualities that Australian cricket circles have admired quietly but consistently.
Another layer to this milestone is the company Starc has left behind. Vettori’s calmness, Southee’s clean striking, Brett Lee’s fearless counter-punching — these are batters who made the lower order lively across eras. Starc now sits above them all, underlining how rounded his contribution to Australian cricket truly is.
While records come and go, this one feels earned in a very Starc-like way: not flashy, not loud, but deeply impactful. Australia’s pace spearhead has built a batting résumé that mirrors his bowling — aggressive, timely, and often decisive.
And in the broader narrative of Test cricket, where bowlers are increasingly expected to bat and batters must adapt to tougher conditions, Starc’s achievement adds weight to the argument that lower-order runs remain one of the great equalizers in the longest format.
For a player whose career has always been defined by the ball, the bat has quietly delivered a milestone that will stay beside his name for years.