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Mitchell Johnson has every right to feel aggrieved, frustrated and angry at his Ashes omission.
Having been given a lifeline after being recalled to the Test side late last year, Johnson took 15 wickets in the three Tests he played last summer at an average of 23.
Johnson was selected in an extended squad heading to India but he sat out of the first two Tests and was one of four Australian players to be suspended for the third Test for not doing a simple task set by coach Mickey Arthur.
Johnson was selected for the fourth Test and unsurprisingly found it hard to adapt to the conditions, having not played in the previous three Test matches.
Johnson, the only Western Australia player among Cricket Australia’s latest contract holders, was overlooked for both the Ashes and Australia A squads for the July-August tour, with selectors opting for a pace battery consisting of James Faulkner, Mitchell Starc, James Pattinson, Jackson Bird and fellow veteran Ryan Harris.
Former Australian captain Kim Hughes has backed Johnson to re-enter the side for the second Ashes series, starting in Australia in November, but said the fast bowler’s presence in India was a “waste of time” that played a role in him not being selected for the upcoming tour.
“This is where it’s disappointing for Mitch; if I was him, I’d be spewing at the fact they took that many players to India, knowing they couldn’t play them,” Hughes said.
“He should have been back here playing Shield cricket, that’s the reality.
“He either shouldn’t have gone, or he should have been sent home, so that, instead of sitting over there twiddling his thumbs, he was back here getting a regular game.
“(Ryan) Harris got into the Australian side, not by being in India, but because he played in a Shield final.
“I wouldn’t discount Mitchell Johnson for the next Ashes series, absolutely, he’s only 31, but I feel he’s got every right to be a bit aggrieved at the fact he sat over there, didn’t get an opportunity and would have been better back here playing Shield cricket.
“It was a waste of time.”
Given the Australian Selection Panel gave Usman Khawaja almost the exact same treatment in India, except Khawaja is included in the Test squad, it isn’t hard to agree with Hughes’ opinion.
Johnson’s overall record shows he is currently the most prolific fast bowler in Australia and his form over the last 12 months shows he still is capable of bowling as well as he did in 2009/10.
Johnson has shown throughout his career is either devastating and unplayable or absolutely erratic and expensive but his omission leaves a huge gap in Australia’s bowling attack in terms of experience, given Ben Hilfenhaus has also been omitted.
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