Johnson: Time to axe Starc

MITCHELL Johnson has called for his former teammate Mitchell Starc to be dropped 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 be complacent ahead of this year’s Ashes series in England.

All three are almost certain to be picked for the Ashes but Johnson wants the selectors to use this month’s two-Test series against Sri Lanka to try some uncapped players.

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

Johnson nominated Victorian quicks Scott Boland and Chris Tremain as two players he’d like to see given a chance.

Starc’s record in the series against India is the worst of Australia’s frontline bowlers.

The 28-year-old has taken 13 wickets at 34.53 and has already been left out of the Australian squad for the ODI series against India.

Boland is the leading bowler in the Sheffield Shield this season with 36 wickets at 17.41.

Tremain is second with 28 wickets at 23.60. JOSH Hazlewood should remember Hanuma Vihari for his Christmas card list this year after he put down a simple catch yesterday.

Vihari’s drop temporarily cost Kuldeep Yadav five wickets and saved Hazlewood an unwanted slice of history as he scooted through for a drought-breaking single.

Hazlewood had made a duck in the first innings of each of the first three Tests.