For the people who followed the Ashes of 2013-2014 held in Australia, watching Mitchell Johnson must have been akin to a Dennis Lillee steaming in at the MCG and the WACA during the bloody 1970's and 1980's. Pure pace, hostility, aggression, malice - these were all terms attributed to Mitchell Johnson during that series for his amazing performances which certainly hastened the retirement of a few of the English players.
As distasteful and ultimately idiotic it may sound, I always loved watching a batsman squatting on the floor and taking evasive action as a consequence of a brooding fast bowler hurling bouncers at the throat of an opposition batsman. Similarly, I enjoyed watching a batsman being struck by a bouncer because although I sympathised with his pain, the image was a surreal one - almost like watching a movie in which the happenings didn't seem quite real. Understandably the batsman was hurt but the sight of a fast bowler operating solely on aggression with the primary intention of injuring the batsman naturally raised the testosterone levels.
I spent many an hour watching Shoaib Akhtar tearing in against Indian batsman hurling bouncers at their rib-cage area (Ganguly 1999) but after Hughes' death doing so feels disrespectful (knowing the harmful effect of a bouncer). But I digress.
After Hughes' death I do not foresee Mitchell Johnson ever being as potent as he was during the 2013-2014 Ashes or the 2014 tour to SA. I certainly don't imagine he will be bowling prolonged spells of the bouncer for at least a few years. In fact, I think there is a real possibility of India emerging as victors in their Test series against Australia with the Australian team, in particular captain Michael Clarke who was good friends with Phil Hughes, shook by news of Hughes' death.
Johnson's reign of terror
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24dhAj9JLdM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73-f1niOSMc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djbGMFQXfwU
As distasteful and ultimately idiotic it may sound, I always loved watching a batsman squatting on the floor and taking evasive action as a consequence of a brooding fast bowler hurling bouncers at the throat of an opposition batsman. Similarly, I enjoyed watching a batsman being struck by a bouncer because although I sympathised with his pain, the image was a surreal one - almost like watching a movie in which the happenings didn't seem quite real. Understandably the batsman was hurt but the sight of a fast bowler operating solely on aggression with the primary intention of injuring the batsman naturally raised the testosterone levels.
I spent many an hour watching Shoaib Akhtar tearing in against Indian batsman hurling bouncers at their rib-cage area (Ganguly 1999) but after Hughes' death doing so feels disrespectful (knowing the harmful effect of a bouncer). But I digress.
After Hughes' death I do not foresee Mitchell Johnson ever being as potent as he was during the 2013-2014 Ashes or the 2014 tour to SA. I certainly don't imagine he will be bowling prolonged spells of the bouncer for at least a few years. In fact, I think there is a real possibility of India emerging as victors in their Test series against Australia with the Australian team, in particular captain Michael Clarke who was good friends with Phil Hughes, shook by news of Hughes' death.
Johnson's reign of terror
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24dhAj9JLdM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73-f1niOSMc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djbGMFQXfwU