Ashes 2017/18: Stuart Broad's sledge has remained with me, says Mitchell Johnson

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What’s the story?

Former Australian fast-bowler Mitchell Johnson has spoken out on the worst sledge he received during his stint as an International player.

Johnson, who was never shy of letting the opposition know what was on his mind, has revealed that it was Stuart Broad who got under his skin the most, and it was his sledge that has stayed with him even to the present day.

The heart of the matter

Johnson recollected the incidents in his column for the Telegraph and said that Broad took a dig at him during the 2009 Ashes when he was not at the top of his game owing to which he was taken to cleaners by the Barmy Army.

“Stuart Broad had a dig at me once when I was batting at the non-striker’s end,” Johnson revealed in his column.

“'You’ve lost it mentally,’ he said, ‘you’re still the same’."

In case you didn’t know…

Johnson also gave insights into his body language and revealed that during the initial days, sledges got under his skin and his shoulders dropped which was quite evident to everyone around.

However, he changed it all around and towards the latter stages of his career, seldom did he allow his body language to drop. This positivity reflected in his numbers as he wreaked havoc during Ashes 2013.

What’s next?

Sledging, which has become synonymous with gamesmanship, occupies a pivotal position in Ashes encounters and this might be the norm when England and Australia face-off in Adelaide for the second Test match.

Author’s take

Verbals fired at players often result in spicing up the contest, more so when the pressure is on during match scenarios. However, if these words are not personal and directed at the game and abilities of the players, it might well prove to be a catalyst for the concerned players to up their game.

However, on the contrary, some payers buckle under pressure and often these sledges break them.

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