Johnson ruled out of SCG Test

Mitchell Johnson has been ruled out of the fourth Test against India in Sydney after complaining of hamstring soreness as the Australian management take a cautious approach ahead of the World Cup.

The indications were there on Saturday that Johnson was struggling to make the final Test of the season when he did not travel to the SCG for Australia's first training session, following a heavy workload in the first three Tests of the summer, and a decision has been taken two days out from the match.

Johnson, himself, had also spoken about bowling bowling shorter spells had he made the Sydney match. He has been the only frontline Australian paceman to play the first three Tests and clocked up 122.2 overs for his 13 wickets at 35.53 but there remains confidence that he will be fit for the triangular one-day series involving India and England.

"Mitchell had some right hamstring soreness during the Boxing Day Test and we have been closely monitoring his recovery since that match but feel he has not fully recovered." the Cricket Australia physiotherapist, Alex Kountouris, said. "As such, he will not play in the upcoming Sydney Test match. We expect him to recover in time to play a part in the upcoming tri-series against England and India.

Coach Darren Lehmann added: "Mitchell is an important part of our plans for the remainder of our summer and we want him 100% right so won't be taking any risks with him. We believe it is best for Mitchell to take this opportunity to freshen up and get his body fully fit ahead of the tri-series."

Mitchell Starc and Peter Siddle are the two options in the squad to replace Johnson with Starc eager for another chance, something that would maintain his on again/off again status in the Test team - he has not played consecutive Tests since the 2013 India tour.

"It depends on the fitness levels of other blokes and how they pulled up from last week," Starc said. "I'll always prepare to play, and I feel like the ball's coming out well from the last two BBL games, I'll keep doing the same and preparing to go. It comes back to any cricket that I play, to keep taking wickets and preparing the best I can."

Having made his debut in November 2011 against New Zealand, Starc is still working on finding the consistency of skill required to be a threat in Test matches. He has fared better in ODIs and Twenty20 assignments, and said he benefited from having a set formula to bowl to.

"The amount of cricket I've played with the white ball means I've got that added confidence in my game and what I want to do whether its in four overs or 10 overs," Starc said. "It comes back to playing more red ball cricket and stringing a few games together, which comes back to performing in games as well. I think in those four to 10 overs with the white ball I know my game really well.

"We all adjust differently but with four overs, T20 cricket's done and dusted pretty quickly. It's 24 balls to nail as best you can and I guess I know that side of my game really well and am happy with where that's at. It's more coming back to the red ball cricket and getting that consistency I need and that starts with my preparation this week.

"I don't get the red ball in my hands too often these days, but it's still a Kookaburra, so it's still going to swing at the start and hopefully reverse somewhere towards the end. In my game it comes back to my accountability and getting that consistency out of myself."