Paceman Mitchell Johnson took aim at Virender Sehwag, saying the flashy India opening batsman doesn’t like the ball up around the ribs.
Sehwag (327 runs at 63.40) and batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar (326 at 54.33) have led India into the quarter-finals where they’ll host Australia in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
But Johnson, who has dismissed Sehwag four times in nine one-day international clashes, says he’s confident Australia’s three-pronged pace attack including Brett Lee and Shaun Tait can get the openers hopping around.
“I don’t mind bowling up into his ribcage,” Johnson told reporters on Tuesday.
“He (Sehwag) seems to struggle with that a bit but I guess putting pressure on him, if he gets a single it puts pressure on the batsman at the other end.
“That’s one way we thought about it as well. It’s always a good challenge to bowl to someone like that, he doesn’t really use his feet but he can hit the ball hard.
“If we can get two or three of their big guns early on it really changes the way they think about their game.
“You always try and target their best players and Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar are their best players.”
Johnson thrives in Indian conditions, claiming 37 wickets at 21.51 in 19 one-day internationals on Indian soil.
The left-armer has taken 10 wickets in six games in the 2011 World Cup, but nine of those have come in Australia’s four games in India at an average of just 15.00.
“It’s do or die, we need to win this game or we go home,” a fired-up Johnson said.
“As a bowling unit we feel pretty confident. Us three quicks going together, we always look forward to bowling over 140km/h and swinging the ball.
“Hopefully we can get him (Sehwag) out in the first over. In the bowlers’ meeting I asked the question how many times he has scored four from the first ball so he likes to score quickly.”
Having been a non-playing reserve bowler in the 2007 World Cup, Johnson said Thursday’s clash was the biggest game of his ODI career.
“In India, coming up against India, it doesn’t get much bigger than this,” he said.
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