Selectors must dump ‘confidence-ebbed’ Johnson for Adelaide Test: Ian Chappell

SYDNEY - Struggling Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson must be removed from the second Test of the Ashes series, former captain Ian Chappell has said.

Chappell said that the selectors had no option, but to dump Johnson, as he had shown no ability to counter the patient English batsmen and had also deteriorated as the first Test in Brisbane progressed.

“Really you could just see his confidence ebbing away to the point where there were some wides and horrible deliveries, and he just looked like a guy bowling without confidence,” the Herald Sun quoted Chappell, as saying.

“So, I’m not sure you can take him into Adelaide with no confidence, that’s one change they’ve got to make,” he added.

Chappell further said that the England team has handled Johnson smartly, as they made life difficult for him by the right-handers not fishing outside off stump.

“He’s always got a lot of wickets out there. They’ve been very smart not doing that and saying ‘you show us you can bring the ball back in then we might start playing there’. At the moment he doesn’t look even close to being able to swing a ball back in, so they’ve helped to dent his confidence,” Chappell said.

“At the moment you’ve just got to send him away and say ‘go and get some wickets and get your confidence back”, whether he can do that and come back and be a good bowler, we’ll find out,” he added.

Johnson finished with match figures of 0-170, the first time in 39 Tests he has gone wicketless.

His spot has been placed under added pressure by the inclusion of fast bowlers Doug Bollinger and Ryan Harris in the 13-man squad for the Adelaide Test, which starts on Friday. (ANI)