Mitchell Johnson terrorised Joe Root and his England teammates in the Gabba Test of the 2013-14 Ashes.
And almost eight years later, as Australia close in on the Brisbane Test of the 2021-22 Ashes, Johnson has unleashed another Gabba-inspired thunderbolt at the Poms.
The former superstar fast bowler has shot back at Root’s recent comment that the venue is no longer an Australian fortress.
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That remark, published by The Guardian in November, came on the back of India’s incredible victory at the Gabba in January, which consigned Australia to their first Test defeat at the venue since 1988.
“Having to go back there and play again for the first time against us, what with it being such a stronghold for them for such a long period of time,” Root said in an interview with The Guardian.
“We now know that it’s not.”
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Johnson has now fired back at the England skipper in an interview with Wide World of Sports, as Australia’s battery of quicks – spearheaded by new captain Pat Cummins – primes itself for Wednesday’s match.
“Maybe he’s trying to trick his own mind into thinking that because India played well there that they should be OK,” Johnson said.
“But I think he’s trying to fool his own mind.
“It’s still a stronghold from our point of view, from an Australian (point of view). Even from the perspective of someone just watching the game, who hasn’t played in a while, you know the Gabba’s hot.”
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The Gabba has long been considered a testing batting surface for away sides due to the unusual degree of bounce and speed the pitch generates.
Countries from the subcontinent, such as India and Pakistan, have had particular difficulty batting at the ground due to the low-bouncing and slow-paced nature of their home wickets.
The challenging bounce and speed of the Gabba deck are major reasons why former Australia pacemen Glenn McGrath (65 wickets at 21.75), Craig McDermott (40 at 22.62), Johnson (34 at 25.08), Dennis Lillee (31 at 20.16) and Brett Lee (29 at 21.55) have sparkling Test records at the venue.
Brisbane’s oppressive summer conditions also hamper away sides at the Gabba.
“You always cramp in that first Test match,” Johnson says.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re an experienced player or not, and you get yourself prepared the best you can; you tend to find, especially if you’re a bowler and if you’re batting for a long time, you will cramp there.
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“The ground’s a bit softer, the pitch is hard, so you go from soft to hard, then you’ve got the heat, the humidity. If it rains there you’ve got to deal with the moisture coming out of the ground as well. So you’re feeling all that stuff.
“It definitely plays into Australia’s hands.
“So that’s why it’s one of the best places to start a Test series for Australia.”
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