Australian pace spearhead Mitchell Johnson was yesterday ruled out of the fourth and final Test against India after failing to recover from a hamstring strain
Mitchell Johnson
Sydney: Australian pace spearhead Mitchell Johnson was yesterday ruled out of the fourth and final Test against India after failing to recover from a hamstring strain.
Mitchell Johnson. Pic/Getty Images
"Mitchell Johnson has been ruled out of the fourth Test against India due to a hamstring injury he picked up during the third Test in Melbourne last week," Cricket Australia said in a statement.
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Johnson could not train on Saturday and team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris confirmed yesterday morning that the left-armer has not fully recovered from soreness in his right hamstring, ruling him out of the match starting January 6 here.
Kountouris said the 33-year-old was expected to be fit in time for the ODI tri-series with India and England, starting on January 16. Australia have already won the ongoing Test series by taking a 2-0 lead with the Melbourne match ending in a draw.
Coach Darren Lehmann said he does not want to risk Johnson's fitness. "Mitchell is an important part of our plans for the remainder of our summer and we want him 100 per cent right so won't be taking any risks with him," he said.
Mitchell Starc may play
Meanwhile, left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc is likely to take the place of Johnson in the Sydney Test. Starc, who has been in and out of the team for sometime, said he's eager for another chance. "It depends on the fitness levels of other blokes and how they pulled up from last week," Starc said.
"I'll always prepare to play, and I feel like the ball's coming out well from the last two BBL games, I'll keep doing the same and preparing to go. It comes back to any cricket that I play, to keep taking wickets and preparing the best I can," he added.
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