IPL 2016: Axed and 'fired up' Mitchell Johnson 'hits' Glenn Maxwell

Mohali, May 12: Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson has revealed that he was "fired up" after being dropped by his franchise Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) during the Indian Premier League 2016 (IPL 9) and "hit" team-mate Glenn Maxwell during a "net" session.

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The 34-year-old Johnson, who retired from international cricket in November 2015, featured in only 3 of the 10 games for KXIP in the ongoing IPL Twenty20 tournament.

He has only 2 wickets to show and has not been picked by Punjab since April 25.

Speaking to Cricket Australia's (CA) website, Johnson today (May 12) said he still has the passion to perform despite international exit.

The left-armer said he showed his vintage bowling skills in the nets. "Some of the net sessions I've been bowling I've had guys not come into my net because I've been pretty fired up. I hit 'Maxi' (Glenn Maxwell) in the thumb in Hyderabad," Johnson told CA's website.

"I actually told him not to come into my net because I had just been told I got dropped. I said 'don't come into my net, mate, I'm not in the mood.' No-one else was coming into the net and he came in, I had just bowled to one of our young guys, Manan Vohra, who I gave an absolute barrage to.

"Then Maxi came in, three balls later he's backed away to try to cut me and I just followed him and hit him on the thumb. Not that I was trying to intentionally hit him but I just followed him. Definitely the fire is there. It just took two weeks longer than I wanted it to," he added.

In the current IPL, Johnson played against Gujarat Lions on April 11 where he took 1/35. Next, against Delhi Daredevils (DD), he failed to take a wicket and scored 4 runs, on April 15. Against Mumbai Indians (MI) on April 25, he had figures of 1/43 and was out for 1.

Punjab are rooted to the bottom of the Points Table with just 3 wins (6 points) from 10 matches. Will they pick the "fired up" Johnson again?

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