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Kohli will bring aggressive approach to Indian cricket:Johnson

Last Updated 02 January 2015, 09:42 IST
Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson feels new India Test skipper Virat Kohli's "in your face" attitude will spill over to his captaincy and will bring an aggressive approach to the way the Indians play cricket.

Kohli and Johnson have had frequent run-ins during the first three matches of the four-Test series, which Australia have already sealed in their favour after winning the first two Tests and the third being a draw.

"It could be quite interesting because they're not known for that aggressive type of play. But ever since I've seen him play cricket, I've always seen him pretty fiery," said Johnson.
"So he'll definitely be an aggressive type of captain I think in the way he sets fields, and I think you'll see a lot different to what M S did. He is a fierce competitor and he really does like to get involved in it all," he added.

Johnson said Kohli's approach hardly changes irrespective of who the opponents are.
"It doesn't matter who he plays against, he plays in your face and that is how he likes to play the game. Virat's just been telling us how many runs he's scored and we've just been saying we're two-nil up in the series so that's pretty much it. It's always been part of the game and always will be," said Johnson.

Johnson, meanwhile, said he was forced to cut down on his pace due to longer stints he was asked to bowl against India but is now keen to go back to his shorter spells, similar to those he fired down at England last summer.

Except for an influential spell on the final morning of the Gabba Test, Johnson has not been up to the mark so far in the ongoing series against India, and also had to reduce his pace by around 10km/h than what England and South Africa were subjected to. Key to his high speed were the short bursts of around three overs that Michael Clarke kept Johnson fresh for.

"I've been bowling longer spells. That's been at the back of my mind where I know I'm going to be bowling four, five, six over spells that I can't be flat out every ball. It has dropped off a little bit," Johnson insisted.

Johnson, who is likely to be given an extended break during the early part of the triangular ODI series before he comes back for the World Cup, said all fast bowlers, not just him, need some time away.

"Definitely, all us bowlers feel like we need to have a bit of a freshen up. So we'll just see what happens after this match here. And then we've got some tri-series one-dayers, so hopefully I can get a bit of a break at some stage there. If not, I've just got to go out there and keep trying to do the best I can," the fast bowler said.

Johnson, meanwhile, said his team had come a long way since the last time they sat together in the SCG dressing room, discussing how it would be possible to play at the same venue where Phil Hughes' was hit and eventually passed away.

"We all didn't know how we were going to go out there and play, and we weren't sure if we had enough time and all that stuff and too close to go out there and play again. But everyone is sticking together.

"(The SCG is) going to be difficult for a lot of guys, but the guys who were out there (when Hughes was hit) it's going to be very tough for them, but everyone has handled it very well and in their own ways, they've done it very well. So we've been really happy to get a result that we have against India after the passing of Phil and we haven't been at the SCG yet so we don't know how everyone's going to feel," said Johnson.
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(Published 02 January 2015, 09:21 IST)

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