<p>Having been at the receiving end of some verbal volleys in the Brisbane Test, Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson said India’s sledging attempt at the Gabba last week backfired. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Australia were in trouble at 247 for six when Johnson came to the crease, still 161 runs behind India’s first-innings total of 408 when the close-in fielders tried to unsettle the burly pacer. But Johnson said that verbal exchanges only made his resolve stronger as he and skipper Steve Smith stitched a 148-run partnership.<br /><br />“It took my mind off the game, which was a good thing because I wasn’t focused on the scoreboard. I was able to go out there and play my shots. I wanted to play with good intent,” Johnson said here on Tuesday.<br /><br />“I had a bit of a throw down (before play) and it wasn’t quite the session I wanted. Then to go out there and cop it from a few of their boys, it just played into our hands. I was able to play my game and not worry about anything. It’s all part of the game but I think it took them off their game. They went a bit too far maybe,” he added.<br /><br />Coming in at No 8 in the second Test, Johnson scored a valuable 88 in a match that Australia won by four wickets, giving the hosts a 2-0 lead in the four-match series. The 33-year-old southpaw, who singled out Rohit Sharma as the aggressor of the group, said that the batsman’s dismal form in the match only proved that his plan turned against him.<br /><br />“I said a few words early and then just let it go after that and just started smiling at Rohit Sharma,” Johnson said. “He seemed to come in a fair bit and had a fair bit to say. I don’t think he had the greatest game and I think maybe he was just a bit frustrated,” he said.<br /><br />But by his own admission, Johnson welcomes the verbal barrages while batting and detests them when he has the ball in his hand. “I think when I’m batting I like to get it because it gets me going. Batting wise I don’t think it would’ve affected me. I’ve always enjoyed that side of it,” he said.<br /><br />“It’s probably just been more the bowling side where the confidence has been a bit low at times and I’ve probably let that stuff affect me. But batting wise I’ve always enjoyed that contest. I want them to come hard and take them off their game,” he concluded.</p>
<p>Having been at the receiving end of some verbal volleys in the Brisbane Test, Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson said India’s sledging attempt at the Gabba last week backfired. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Australia were in trouble at 247 for six when Johnson came to the crease, still 161 runs behind India’s first-innings total of 408 when the close-in fielders tried to unsettle the burly pacer. But Johnson said that verbal exchanges only made his resolve stronger as he and skipper Steve Smith stitched a 148-run partnership.<br /><br />“It took my mind off the game, which was a good thing because I wasn’t focused on the scoreboard. I was able to go out there and play my shots. I wanted to play with good intent,” Johnson said here on Tuesday.<br /><br />“I had a bit of a throw down (before play) and it wasn’t quite the session I wanted. Then to go out there and cop it from a few of their boys, it just played into our hands. I was able to play my game and not worry about anything. It’s all part of the game but I think it took them off their game. They went a bit too far maybe,” he added.<br /><br />Coming in at No 8 in the second Test, Johnson scored a valuable 88 in a match that Australia won by four wickets, giving the hosts a 2-0 lead in the four-match series. The 33-year-old southpaw, who singled out Rohit Sharma as the aggressor of the group, said that the batsman’s dismal form in the match only proved that his plan turned against him.<br /><br />“I said a few words early and then just let it go after that and just started smiling at Rohit Sharma,” Johnson said. “He seemed to come in a fair bit and had a fair bit to say. I don’t think he had the greatest game and I think maybe he was just a bit frustrated,” he said.<br /><br />But by his own admission, Johnson welcomes the verbal barrages while batting and detests them when he has the ball in his hand. “I think when I’m batting I like to get it because it gets me going. Batting wise I don’t think it would’ve affected me. I’ve always enjoyed that side of it,” he said.<br /><br />“It’s probably just been more the bowling side where the confidence has been a bit low at times and I’ve probably let that stuff affect me. But batting wise I’ve always enjoyed that contest. I want them to come hard and take them off their game,” he concluded.</p>