Australia pace demon Mitchell Johnson poses no fears for India who will fight fire with fire in this week’s Test series, according to batsman Shikhar Dhawan.
Opener Dhawan has vowed to go after Australia’s fast bowling trump card if given the chance to face him in the opening Test in Adelaide from tomorrow.
Johnson has taken 16 wickets in four Tests against India Down Under, and in enjoying a stellar year with the ball.
“I feel that you need an aggressive opener in today’s cricket which can turn things around,” Dhawan said. “So that will be a very good thing for us. And I would love to play that role.”
While respectful of Johnson, Dhawan, who lives in Melbourne with his Australian-born wife, said there was “no fear factor” in confronting the International Cricketer of the Year.
“Of course, he’s one of the best bowlers in the world,” he said.
“He has got really good pace and we have prepared for that pace.
“I have faced him lots of times back in India but I will be facing him for the first time in Australia so it’s going to be a good challenge and I’m going to enjoy the challenge.”
Dhawan, 29, has played only one Test innings against Australia when he hammered 187 on debut in Mohali in March last year.
The left-hander cracked 33 fours and two sixes in that explosive knock but has passed 50 in just two other Test innings. Overall, he has played 10 Tests scoring 656 runs and averages 38.58
Dhawan’s runs have dwindled outside India, with the left-hander averaging only 20.33 on the recent tour of England, prompting pundits to question his ability to flourish on pacy pitches. “That is their thinking and their point of view,” he said.
“I am always open for change for the betterment of my game… like in England, I couldn’t score much runs, so that was a good learning curve for me.
“And it made me a better player. I always finds lots of positives in my failures too.”
Dhawan’s pairing with Murali Vijay has not been successful away from home with 49 being the opening pair’s highest partnership in 14 Test innings.
“We haven’t done it, (but that) doesn’t mean that we cannot do it,” Dhawan said.
Vijay is keen on improving that record during this series. “We are really confident in each other’s game,” Vijay said.
“Both the teams are going to be hoping on the starts because of the conditions and the wickets – whichever team gets a better start is going to be having an advantage,” he added.
The tourists have traditionally struggled in Australia.
Even with now retired batting greats Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag and V.V.S. Laxman, India were hammered 4-0 in the last series in Australia in 2011-12 and overall they have won just five of 40 Tests there.
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is recovering from a wrist injury but he could still play as a batsman, leaving wicketkeeping duties to Wriddhiman Saha.
Dhoni was an active participant in training yesterday as he bowled and batted without any discomfort.
