Bulked up Starc looking to 'push the limits' of his pace

The left-arm quick was recorded bowling a yorker at 160.4kph during a Test against New Zealand at WACA in November 2015. While generating such high speed naturally heightens the risk of injury, Starc isn't averse to cranking it up to around that pace in the future.

"It would be nice but at the same time the two occasions I've been up around that (160kph) mark I've snapped my foot," Starc told cricket.com.au. "Hopefully that's not the case but when everything's going well, that rhythm is happening and conditions suit, then I can get that speed gun up.

"Perhaps that extra time in the gym and extra time off I might be able to push the limits again," he said in reference to the work he's been putting into getting stronger during the pandemic-enforced break.

The 30-year-old has utilised the extended time off to build more muscle mass, which could help shield him from injury when he bowls express pace.

"At the end of summers, I've been down to 87kg at my lowest and I'm at 93kg at the moment which is where I want to be at," Starc said. "I've (generally) started summers around that 90-91kg mark so I'm in a good place now, feeling really strong."

Starc will get to put his increased strength to the test during the recently-confirmed tour of England, where Australia will play three T20Is and three ODIs. He will likely be looking forward to returning to England, having finished as leading wicket-taker at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019 hosted in the country.