Legacy can be a boon or bane for a sportsperson. Australian pace bowler Mitchell Johnson faces a a similar situation in the seven match one-day series against India, beginning on Saturday. The 25-year-old is expected to maintain the standards set by Glenn McGrath, and that can be quite a task for any upcoming paceman.

The series against India will be a test of his ability to handle various challenges, something his illustrious predecessor did with aplomb in his playing days. It could give some sleepless nights to any paceman, but Johnson, who has played just 18 one-dayers, is quite prepared for the task.

“Yeah, that is a tough job (filling in for McGrath),” Johnson said, reality ringing in his voice. But he was quick to add that the magnitude of the task has not bogged him down. “I have thought about it sometimes, and I know how demanding it can be.

But at this point in time, I am firmly focused on this tour, and I want to come out of it with flying colours. A good performance in this series will go a long way in boosting my chances of getting into the Test side as well.”

Johnson knows that is easier said than done. He has a number of hurdles to clear during this series, like barren pitches and a set of batsmen fuelled by their recent triumph in the Twenty20 World Cup. But true to Australian tradition, he hates to shy away from a challenge.

“I love those challenges as they make international cricket interesting. I know it is a tough ask to bowl to players like Sachin (Tendulkar) and (Sourav) Ganguly in these conditions. I have watched a lot of videos of these players, and I know how destructive they can be.

The Indians are a confident lot after their triumph in the Twenty20 World Cup, but we have put behind our performance in South Africa and are raring to go,” Johnson said. “I had come the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai, where I trained under Dennis Lillee for a while.

So I am not completely alien to these conditions, am I?”

The lanky left-arm paceman had given a glimpse of his ability when he scythed through the Indian top order in the DLF Cup in Kuala Lumpur last September for a return of four for 11. He also had a good run at the Twenty20 Cup World Cup, picking up eight wickets from six matches at 19.12 at an excellent economy rate of 6.37.

Armed with a fine performance in the super-abridged version, Johnson looked forward to this series with hope. “If I stick to the basics and bowl to my strengths, I am quite confident that I can make an impact in these conditions as well.”