Australia’s Mitchell Johnson eyes Indian tour
Australian fast bowlers of the past have done well in India, and, Mitchell Johnson believes that this Indian tour will be a challenge for the current Australian bowlers. Mitchell Johnson, the senior fast bowler in the team, was out of form in England, during the series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 wants to do well in India.
The SG ball, which is used in India, has a bigger seam and is harder than the Kookaburra ball. Australian bowlers have used this ball very effectively. Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie used the SG ball very effectively on the 2004 tour of India, when they won the series in India last time.
Johnson himself has said, “We should practice with the SG ball prior to Indian series. SG balls are different than Kookaburra ball. Kookaburra ball is a bit soft and has a low seam. SG ball gets roughed up very quickly. It is also the wickets in India. In those Indian conditions it starts reversing very quickly. It is very tough in India for the fast bowlers, but the real test for a fast bowler is to flourish in those conditions. I am really looking forward to the Indian tour, the challenge that is on hands”.
Mitchell Johnson, the left arm quickie has 158 wickets in 26 Test matches at an average of 28. Mitchell has shown in some of his spells that he can really destroy batting lines with his devastating bowling. He is sometimes wayward as well. The series in England has been a clear example of it, where he sprayed it around. He was completely out of sorts in the two Test series, struggled hard, and finished the tour with just 3 wickets at 72.
Johnson also acknowledged that he wasn’t in the best of the form. He was struggling both mentally and physically. He said, “I was struggling in those conditions. I wasn’t in the best of form. England are a different conditions, you have to pitch the ball up. I am a kind of a bowler who will hit the pitch hard, short of a length and will extract any kind of movement out there. I didn’t assess the conditions and went on bowling short. I didn’t prepare well for those conditions, as I was coming back from elbow injury. This will be of good help in the preparation of the Ashes”.
Johnson hasn’t done that bad against India, considering that he played all 8 Test matches against them in the early part of his career. He has taken 29 wickets in 8 Test matches at an average of 36. His last tour of India was a good one considering the fact it was his first one. He took 13 wickets in 4 matches at 40. His figures might not suggest that he bowled well in India, but he troubled Sachin and Dravid with his left arm angle.
In ODI’s he has played against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750, he has a very good record. He has an impressive tally of 34 wickets in just 20 ODI’s at just 23 apiece, with a best bowling performance of 5/26.
Johnson is not a bunny with the bat. He has 969 runs to his name at an impressive average 23, considering he has played most of his cricket at number 9. He has scored a Test century and four Test fifties. His best performance with the bat came against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757, where he made 123 not out at Cape Town.
Johnson remains the key member of Ponting’s plan in India and future. Johnson is eyeing up the challenge ahead of him in India and the Ashes. The Tour of India will be of a great help before the Ashes.
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