Australia coach Darren Lehmann has no intention of saving Mitchell Johnson for a World Cup assault on England and will recall the paceman as soon as possible.
Johnson was the runaway Man of the Series in last winter’s Ashes and there are serious concerns about how England will react should he find his very best form again in the tournament opener in Melbourne on February 14.
He has been missing for the last few weeks with fitness niggles and undisclosed personal reasons, and there have been suggestions Lehmann might hold his strike bowler back until that match, denying England a closer look should they reach the final of the ongoing tri-series.
But Lehmann intends to reintegrate the left-armer at the first opportunity, potentially as soon as tomorrow’s match against India.
“He’d be close. He’s bowling (in the nets) and will be training fully on Sunday, so hopefully he’s available for selection,” said Lehmann.
“There’s no resting. It’s a final so there’s a trophy up for grabs and we’ve got to try and win that so that’s important for us as well.
“For us it’s a case of worrying about what we do well and keep doing that. We can’t worry about England, we can only worry about what we’re doing.”
The Australia line-up that beat England in Hobart on Friday was also missing captain George Bailey (banned), David Warner and Shane Watson (both hamstring).
Bailey will return having served his over-rate suspension, Warner is inked back in at the top of the order but Watson may take longer to regain his spot.
“Warner will be fine, he’ll come back in. With Watson, we will just see how he goes at the training,” added Lehmann.
“We want to get everyone 100 per cent fit for the final and then the World Cup so that’s what we’re looking at.”
Johnson had earlier said he hoped to get back to the short bursts of speed he employed against England and South Africa last summer.
“I’ve been bowling longer spells,” Johnson said before the Sydney Test. “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. It’s been a big 15 months as well so it’s tough cricket.
“We go out there day in and day out and we work really hard and to be able to bowl 150 kmph every game I’d be dreaming if I could do that. But I’d like to be going back to bowling shorter spells again.”
Coach Lehmann added that there could be a few changes in the side for the match against India but given the occasion (it’s Australia Day tomorrow) the management might not make wholesale changes.
“There could be some changes again, and we could bat guys in different positions for this game. It’s a big game, everyone wants to play Australia Day, so we’ve got to make sure we’re up for it again. Winning becomes a habit and for us that’s really important,” he added.
