'Inexperience will work in our favour'

Published>Thu, Sep 23 10 06:08 AM

Despite leading an inexperienced bowling attack, many on their first tour of India, Australian pace spearhead ? Mitchell Johnson believes the "unknown commodity" factor could work for Australia. While Shane Watson and Doug Bollinger have some experience of top-class cricket in India, fast bowlers Peter George, James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc and batsman Phillip Hughes are not exactly household names.

Johnson who was speaking after a training at a press conference at the Sector 16 stadium in Chandigarh on Wednesday believes that the anonymity will make them want to prove themselves.

"We have a new set of cricketers coming up for Australia. They are restless and very keen to perform well for the country. As a mature and experienced cricketer it is my responsibility to guide them and you never know what could happen in the Tests," he said.

'Challenging tracks'

Johnson who has taken 158 wickets in 36 Tests said that bowling in India was always a challenge for fast bowlers.

"The wickets here are mostly flatter in nature, so it becomes tough to bowl on them, that too in usually hot and humid conditions. Then, India has formidable batting depth which makes the job of bowlers more demanding. India will be a tough team to take on. Ranked number one in the world, India has big players in Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Harbhajan Singh who can turn the match around. "

"I believe we will take each match as it comes, ahead of the Ashes and later the World Cup in the sub-continent. The Indian series will be important for us, we would aim to do well in both the Test matches in India," said Johnson who is coming off a poor series against Pakistan, finishing with just three wickets at an average of 72.33.

However, the pacer said that it would not just be the conditions that would test the young Australian quicks.

Having bowled with the Kookaburra ball for most of their careers, they would have to adapt to the Indian made SG variety. While the Kookaburra swings when new, the SG tends to reverse as it wears down. This would mean they would have to alter their bowling plans.

Source: Web Search