Former Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson has said that… Cricket Australia’s (CA) selection panel should have included pacer Jhye Richardson for the opening Ashes game, saying his former teammate Mitchell Starc should not have been in the playing XI due to “lack of current form”.
Australia captain Pat Cummins on Sunday announced the playing XI for the Ashes Test starting December 8 at The Gabba, which included 31-year-old left-arm pacer Starc.
Starc could take only nine wickets at 27.55 in Australia’s title win in ICC T20 World Cup, and failed to take a wicket in the final against New Zealand, conceding 60 runs in his four overs.
Apart from spinner Nathan Lyon, the Australian fast bowlers for the opening Test include Captain Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Starc.
Johnson, who was player of the series in the 2013/14 Ashes, told SENZ on Saturday session: “Yeah look, I’ve always considered Mitch Starc to be a left-hander. But look, it may not even be his personal decision, He is not in his best form at the moment.
“To be honest, I would probably put Jhye Richardson up front in the first Test and then see ‘Starcy’ coming with the pink ball (in Adelaide).”
A possible second pink-ball Test will take place in either Melbourne or Hobart as Perth is set to miss due to Western Australia’s strict quarantine protocol.
“There’s probably going to be two pink-ball Tests, and he’s a real confident player, Starsey, it’s great to see him when he’s at it,” Johnson said. “He bowls fast, he’s a tall man, he gets that extra bounce and that late swing, I want him in the team, but I want to give him my best too.”
Starc will play his 62nd Test for Australia on 8 December when the first Ashes match begins in Brisbane. The 25-year-old Richardson has played only two Tests against Sri Lanka in 2019.
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