The Australian star pacer Mitchell Starc had abruptly pulled himself out of the Champions Trophy, with Cricket Australia citing "personal reasons." However, with the tournament's group stage matches nearing an end, Starc revealed that a sore ankle had been a major cause for him to skip the tournament. The Australian Men's cricket team walked into the Champions Trophy without their bowling trio- Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood. While injury concerns were confirmed for the two of them, Starc's cause wasn't clear. Speaking to the Willow Talk podcast, Starc revealed, "There are a few different reasons, some personal views. “I had a bit of ankle pain through the (Sri Lanka) Test series." The podcast was co-hosted by his wife, Alyssa Healy, who in a previous podcast said that Starc needed rest. Especially after a strenuous 5-match Border Gavaskar Trophy Test series, followed by the Sri Lanka tour, Starc indeed needed some off. Read also: DC Squad for IPL 2025: Complete Squad and Predicted XI of Delhi Capitals Starc priotized World Test Championship Final, puts IPL in frontline too With a 3-1 dominant win against India, Australia sealed the final spot in the World Test Championship and will face South Africa at the Lord's Cricket Ground scheduled for June 11. Speaking about that, Starc told that he wants his body to be fully fresh for that. With the Indian Premier League coming, that will add more stress. He added, "So I just need to get that one right. Obviously, we have the (World Test Championship) final coming up and a West Indies tour after that. There is some IPL cricket as well. “But the main one at the top of my mind is the Test final. Get my body right, play some cricket in the next couple of months and then be ready to go for the Test final." Mitchell Starc is scheduled to represent the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League next month before competing in the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s in June. Following that, he will take part in a three-match Test series in the West Indies.