Bridgetown (Barbados), May 5 (Inditop.com) Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson is doubtful for Wednesday’s World Twenty20 match against Bangladesh due to an elbow infection.
Johnson’s has an infecton on his right elbow, not his bowling arm, and team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said that had it been a final at the Kensington Oval, Johnson would have started.
Johnson underwent tests and is likely to be rested for the final pool match.
“He could probably play if it was the World Cup final tomorrow but there’s a lot of the tournament to go. We just want to make sure we knock it on the head and get it right before we proceed further in the tournament. It happens quite commonly. They can dive and land on it and get a little grass and dirt in there. His whole elbow is very red and inflamed at the moment,” Kontouris was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald.
Australians have already lost Brett Lee before the start of the tournament after he suffered a strained elbow.
Kountouris said Johnson had been troubled by the infection since the start of the tour.
“He had it pretty much this whole tour but it was almost nothing, a dot, but it slowly got bigger. He doesn’t have a cut there. It’s fairly common. He’s not on any pain killers. He could definitely play.
“It’s not affecting his muscles or his joint itself. It’s more the skin at the back. All they need is one little bug in there and it can set it off. He’s able to bend and straighten his elbow. He can definitely play,” said Kountouris.