Mitchell Johnson’s IPL 2016 has not gone according to plan – two games into his return to cricket after international retirement in November last year, he was dropped by the Kings XI Punjab management. He has played three out of ten matches, and has been on the bench for the most part of his team’s dismal campaign.
With figures of 1/35, 0/28 and 1/43 to show, Johnson cannot have much reason to complain. This is not what the 34-year-old is used to, however, and the anger is building up inside him. Things have reached such a pass now that batsmen avoid him during net practice sessions, and get hammered on the rare occasion that they step into his net.
As Johnson told Cricket Australia, he did not feel fully match fit until two weeks into the tournament, but being dropped has ensured that he has regained his fire-breathing ways. He also threw some light on a recent incident, which had led to Glenn Maxwell leaving the net session midway clutching his hand, sparking fears that he had picked up an injury.
During the pre-match session in Hyderabad, Maxwell had made the mistake of opting to enter Johnson’s 'parlour’ at the wrong time. The fast bowler had just been told that he would not be picked in the next day’s playing XI, and he was seething inside.
Johnson related the incident thus – "I said 'don't come into my net, mate, I'm not in the mood.' No-one else was coming into the net and he came in, I had just bowled to one of our young guys, Manan Vohra, who I gave an absolute barrage to.
"Then Maxi came in, three balls later he's backed away to try to cut me and I just followed him and hit him on the thumb. Not that I was trying to intentionally hit him but I just followed him.”
Just want to play cricket: Johnson
Johnson said that he had been feeling too ‘matey’ on the field in the beginning of IPL 9, but that now he has gone back to how he has always played his cricket – with snarling pace and hostile bounce, and perhaps a few words for effect.
He said, "I didn't really get into the contest at the start of this tournament. That's where I've noticed a difference two weeks in, I've got into the contest in the nets, just need to get out there and play.”
Johnson had said that he wants to spend a few years playing cricket as a freelancer in the T20 leagues around the world, but being on the bench for last-placed KXIP for IPL 9 does not make good reading for someone wanting to start out as a specialist T20 mercenary.
He said that he would ask the Perth Scorchers management if they would have room for him in the BBL later this year, but will be hoping as of now that his fire is noticed by not only KXIP batsmen but also the management.
There have been occasions in the current IPL when KXIP have opted to play only three overseas players, ignoring not only Mitchell Johnson, but also Kyle Abbott and Farhaan Behardien.
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