Former Australia pace bowler Mitchell Johnson slammed at England captain Joe Root’s claims where he said that the Gabba is no longer being a fortress for the hosts. Mitchell Johnson has said that India’s win in Brisbane in January has made Root overconfident as well.
However, Australia’s 32-year-old-winning streak at the Gabba in Tests has ended this year as India beat them. The visitors successfully chased down 329 on the final day of the Test as well. England, meanwhile, won their last Test at the venue in 1986.
While speaking to the Wide World of Sports, Mitchell Johnson has said that there shouldn’t be any comparison between India’s victory and the England series. Speaking on Root’s opinion, the veteran has believed that the venue will work for them.
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He said: “Maybe he’s trying to trick his own mind into thinking that because India played well there that they should be okay. But I think he’s trying to fool his own mind. It’s still a stronghold from our point of view, from an Australian (point of view). Even from the perspective of someone just watching the game, who hasn’t played in a while, you know the Gabba’s hot.”
Joe Root, who will play his third Ashes series in Australia, has said in an exclusive interview with the Guardian that India’s win has given England a lot of confidence to do well in the same in the first Test of the 2021-22 Ashes series as well. The upcoming Ashes series will begin on December 8.
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Mitchell Johnson: “You always cramp in that first Test match. It doesn’t matter if you’re an experienced player or not and you get yourself prepared the best you can. You tend to find, especially if you’re a bowler and if you’re batting for a long time, you will cramp there.”
“The ground’s a bit softer, the pitch is hard, so you go from soft to hard, then you’ve got the heat, the humidity. If it rains there, you’ve got to deal with the moisture coming out of the ground, as well. So you’re feeling all that stuff. It definitely plays into Australia’s hands. So that’s why it’s one of the best places to start a Test series for Australia,” Mitchell Johnson concluded.
