Mitchell Johnson calls for axing of Mitchell Starc

Test great Mitchell Johnson has called on national selectors to drop his former teammate Mitchell Starc, while also putting the rest of the struggling Aussie attack on notice.

Australia's Mitchell Starc. Picture: Brett Costello

Mitchell Johnson has called on national selectors to drop his former teammate Mitchell Starc for Australia’s next Test series against Sri Lanka.

The former Test spearhead also wants Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood to be put on notice that none of Australia’s fast bowlers can afford to feel any sense of complacency ahead of this year’s Ashes series in England.

All three are almost certain to get picked for the Ashes but Johnson wants selectors to use the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka to trial some uncapped players who have the potential to be bolters for the tour.

Mitchell Starc has struggled against India.

“They now need to be pushed for their places and the Sri Lanka series provides an opportunity to look at some quicks who could be successful in English conditions,” Johnson wrote in his column for The Sunday Times.

“The question of who would make room for them is a difficult one, however on current form Starc might need to make way.”

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Johnson nominated Sheffield Shield stars Scott Boland and Chris Tremain as two players he’d like to see given a shot, and said Starc should be the one to give way because he’s been struggling for form and is low on confidence.

Starc’s record in the series against India is the worst of Australia’s frontline bowlers as he has managed just 13 wickets at 34.53 and the 28-year-old has already been left out of the Australia ODI squad to face India.

Boland is the leading bowler in Sheffield Shield this season with 36 wickets at 17.41 while Tremain is second with 28 at 23.60.

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