Cricket: NZ-bound Starc pushing back decision on timing of surgery

Mitchell Starc says he's unsure why he was sent out to bowl against New Zealand during the thrilling closing phase of the inaugural pink-ball test. Photo / Getty Images

Mitchell Starc will continue to delay ankle surgery while resting his busted right foot in the hope of touring New Zealand early next year.

Bone spurs in Starc's right ankle have been carefully managed this year but the new leader of Australia's attack will need to go under the knife at some point.

The left-armer is currently sidelined with stress fractures in his right foot, an injury he suffered on day one of the inaugural day-night test.

Starc will spend the next three or four weeks in a moonboot, resting up with no certainty over when he will be fit enough to bowl.

Australia starts a two-test series in New Zealand on February 12, with the Twenty20 World Cup to follow in March.

"The foot won't rule me out for the rest of summer so no point doubling up and missing extra time with surgery," Starc said in Adelaide.

"The ankle is going pretty well. I'm not too worried about how that's going to be when my foot [injury heals].

"It probably will do it a bit of good if I keep that range in there. It's just about trying to get that bone in my foot right and ... see how it is when the boot finally comes off."

Starc was unsure when he'd play for Australia again.

"It depends on how it heals ... there's no point putting a timestamp on it until the bone heals," he said.

The express paceman was also vague when asked whether the injury was related to his ongoing ankle issue.

"It's probably something you can ask the medical staff," he said.

Cricket Australia say its medicos are still assessing Starc's wrecked right foot and he will play no part in Australia's upcoming three-test series against the West Indies.

The 25-year-old has been bowling under duress for most of the year.

However, he managed to deliver career-best form in that stretch and became the side's spearhead when Mitchell Johnson retired during the second test against NZ.

Starc was trying to stay upbeat after the setback.

"It's frustrating," he said. "It [the ankle] has been going okay ... it hasn't stopped me bowling.

"I had a couple more cortisones after Perth test. It has been managed quite well. Now the foot has popped ... but there's not much I can do about it."

Starc admitted he was surprised to be sent out in a thrilling finish to the pink-ball clash with NZ on Sunday night.

"I'd like to ask Steve Smith the same question," he said. "The spinners were on, so he asked if I'd go out there and have a slog. I thought that might change when they took the spinner off but it ended up that I went out there."

- AAP