Mitchell Johnson has intimidated plenty of batsmen in the modern era with his aggressive bowling. His bouncer barrage during the 2013/14 Ashes, in which he picked up 37 wickets, was crucial in Australia whitewashing England 5-0. However, the former Australia fast bowler recently has been on the receiving end of some fearful barrages
Johnson, who retired from international cricket in 2015, was mercilessly trolled by Indian cricket fans on Twitter after he questioned Indian seamer Ashish Nehra’s bowling speed and his statistics without mentioning any specific format while indulging in banter.
Johnson, 35, is gearing up for the upcoming edition of the Big Bash League (BBL). He recently got involved into some light-hearted banter with the 31-year-old New Zealand pacer Mitchell McClenaghan, and soon the topic turned towards the best fast bowlers over the age of 30.
Dean Jones, former Australia batsman who is on commentary duties in the ongoing T20I series between India and Australia, soon chipped in by saying that it has to be Ashish Nehra.
{{/usCountry}}Dean Jones, former Australia batsman who is on commentary duties in the ongoing T20I series between India and Australia, soon chipped in by saying that it has to be Ashish Nehra.
{{/usCountry}}Johnson’s subsequent reply to Jones was, “His run up is definitely faster.” This sparked anger among the Indian cricket fans.
Nehra, who has recently purchased a smart phone for the first time according to reports, might not have been aware of such a banter in which he was mentioned. But on his behalf, the Indian fans launched an attack on Johnson.
Realising that his banter might have made him a target of the Indian cricket fans, Johnson was quick to clarify that he was indulging in banter. But like always, Indian fans have been unsparing on such instances.
Johnson did not specify from which format he had acquired Nehra’s numbers from, but the Indian fan did the work for him.
Johnson was reminded of the fact that he has retired and on the other hand, Nehra is still making impressive comebacks despite a string of injuries trying to keep him away. Not surprisingly, the term ‘brain fade’ was also used.
Meanwhile, India and Australia will face off in the second T20I of their ongoing three-match series on Tuesday evening, at Guwahati. The contest will be a must-win clash for Australia, who face yet another series defeat against India across formats.