Adam Gilchrist believes Mitchell Starc might consider himself unlucky not to have taken home the mantle of man of the series for the Ashes.
Australia completed the 4-0 romp on Sunday night when bowling England out for 124, all ten wickets falling for just 56 runs at the backend of the innings.
Travis Head was named man of the series for his centuries in the first and last Test that went a long way to Australia winning both of those matches.
Gilchrist presented the award to the South Australian on the broadcast for Fox Cricket, and he admitted to feeling a “bit unsure” before it was confirmed who the winner was.
“I was a bit unsure which way they were going to go, we were discussing this up in the commentary box on and off air,” Gilchrist told SEN WA’s Gilly and Goss.
“I guess maybe Mitchell Starc might be a bit unlucky. When the series was alive, that being the first three Tests, I thought he really stepped up.
“He stepped up in Pat (Cummins’) absence in that second Test, Hazlewood dropped out after the first Test.
“So, I thought with the runs and wickets he contributed when the series was still alive and unsure which way it was going to go, I thought he was outstanding.”
Starc claimed the first wicket of the series with the very first ball to set the tone of the series, and looked particularly dangerous in Brisbane, Adelaide and Sydney.
The quick finished with 19 wickets throughout the five Tests, a fine return after having his position in the XI questioned in the lead-up to the Ashes.
While his bowling was impressive, the 31-year-old further improved his all-rounder stocks by demonstrating grit with the bat.
He batted seven times in the series, making 35, 39 not out, 19, 24 not out, 34 not out, 3 and 1.
Starc looked more assured with bat in hand than numerous members of Australia’s top seven at times and has now risen to no.5 in the ICC’s rankings of Test all-rounders.
That being said, Gilchrist admitted all Aussies had played their role, adding Scott Boland would have also come into consideration if his performances came when the series was on the line.
“You look down the stats sheet and everyone contributed, and there was a number of players who could easily have grabbed that,” Gilchrist continued.
“But I suppose in Travis’ defence, two hundreds that truly impacted and set the tone two Test matches and probably went a long way to winning those Test matches (should be enough).”