PIX: Starc smiles his way back into IPL!

IPL's most expensive player Mitchell Starc was all smiles as he arrived in Kolkata on Sunday to join his team Kolkata Knight Riders.

Starc, who was bought by KKR for a whopping Rs 24.75 crore during the IPL players' auction in December, is back in the IPL after a long gap of nine years.

Starc last played in the IPL in 2015 for Royal Challengers Bangalore but since then has missed the T20 league either with injury or for national duty. The senior pacer was bought by KKR ahead of IPL 2018 for Rs 9.4 crore but he missed the entire season with injury and was then released before the next season.

"It’s a Star(c)y Knight!," KKR captioned the Instagram post.

Starc, who took 34 wickets in two seasons for RCB, is hoping for a good showing with the ball for KKR to seal his place in the Australian for the T20 World Cup in June.

Kolkata Knight Riders will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in their opening match at the Eden Gardens on Saturday March 23.