Craig McDermott said it is wrong to narrow the series down to Mitchell Johnson vs Indian batsmen
Craig Mcdermott added that their bowling attack was not just about Johnson and it's all about combining well as a unit.
Chennai: The thought of facing Mitchell Johnson running in at full tilt in front of an intimidating Gabba crowd might already have haunted the Indian batsmen who have touched the shores of Australia.After watching the way Johnson decimated England in the last Ashes in Australia, one would have to say the upcoming Border-Gavaskar trophy should be a contest between a young Indian batting unit led by Virat Kohli and the pace power of Johnson.
But Australian bowling coach Craig McDermott says it is wrong to narrow the series down to Johnson vs Indian batsmen. “Our bowling attack is not just about an individual (Mitchell Johnson). It’s all about combining well as a unit,” McDermott told this newspaper when he was asked whether the hosts would rely on Johnson to rattle India’s inexperienced batsmen.
McDermott, who was a thorn in India’s flesh during his playing days, was the brain behind Australia’s 4-0 thrashing of India in 2011/2012. His strategy then was to pitch the ball right up to the batsmen with an unerring line.
The 49-year-old said Australian bowlers would be going about their business meticulously with the weakness of the Indians in mind. “Last time we beat them 4-0 and I know that’s a long time ago. Rahul Dravid got hundred after hundred prior to landing in Australia, but we had our plans for the way we wanted to bowl to the Indians and with a bit of extra bounce we were relentless in the way we went about it. I don’t think that is going to change this time,” he was quoted as saying.
Three years ago, it was right-arm fast bowler Peter Siddle who shouldered the responsibility of leading the Aussie bowling attack in the absence of Mitchell Johnson and claimed 23 wickets in four Tests. Though Siddle had an ordinary run in Tests against South Africa earlier this year, McDermott has backed the senior pace man to come good against India.
According to him, Siddle is as good as anyone in the world. McDermott says the pacer needs to get his run-up faster to bowl fast as generation of bounce is dependent on pace.
Going by the words of McDermott, India would do well not to obsess about Johnson alone; they must also have an eye on the hardworking Siddle as well.
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