Johnson welcomes India's verbal barrage

Mitchell Johnson says the verbal barrage he received from India's players at the Gabba last week played into Australia's hands and helped drag the home side back into the match.

Johnson copped what appeared to be a premeditated attack when he walked to the wicket on day three in Brisbane, with several Indian fielders having plenty to say in early in his innings.

Australia were in trouble at 6-247 when Johnson came to the crease, still 161 runs behind India's first-innings total of 408.

When he departed 26 overs later, the Aussies were just 13 runs in arrears after a 148-run partnership between Johnson and Steve Smith that featured 19 fours and a six.

Speaking in Melbourne today, Johnson said India's aggression allowed him to take his mind off the perilous position the Australians found themselves in and play with the freedom that has now steered him to 10 Test half-centuries.

"It took my mind off the game, which was a good thing because I wasn't focused on the scoreboard," Johnson said.

"I was able to go out there and play my shots. I wanted to play with good intent.

"I had a bit of a throw down (before play) and it wasn't quite the session I wanted.

"Then to go out there and cop it from a few of their boys, it just played into our hands.

"I was able to play my game and not worry about anything.

"It's all part of the game but I think it took them off their game. They went a bit too far maybe."

Johnson said he enjoyed the exchanges with India's close-in fielders and singled out batsman Rohit Sharma as the aggressor of the group.

Rohit was stationed at leg slip when Johnson began scratching out his guard, but walked in several paces towards the left-hander to have a few words.

After initially firing back a few barbs of his own, Johnson decided to simply smile back at Rohit as the sledging continued.

The Aussie had more reason to smile the following morning when he had Rohit caught behind for a duck, which dropped the Indian's average for the series down to 20.25 from four innings.

"I said a few words early and then just let it go after that and just started smiling at Rohit Sharma," Johnson said.

"He seemed to come in a fair bit and had a fair bit to say.

"I don't think he had the greatest game and I think maybe he was just a bit frustrated."

By his own admission, Johnson hasn't always handled sledging as well as he did last week.

But it's been a different story since he returned to the Test side at the start of last summer, a change that former England batsman Kevin Pietersen noticed straight away.

In his autobiography released this year, Pietersen recalled a moment between himself and Johnson on the second day of the Gabba Test last year that gave an insight into the new-found confidence of the Aussie quick. 

"As I ran past Mitchell Johnson I said to him, 'It's me or you, buddy, and believe me, I'm less scared of getting out than you are scared of giving me a lot of runs'," Pietersen wrote.

"He looked at me, just stared at me, he didn't say anything back. He kept staring and walked past.

"S**t. S**t. S**t. On so many occasions in the past Johnson has always bit back: shut up, KP, f**k off, shut up, big shot.

"This time he didn't say anything, and immediately I knew he was different."

Image Id: ~/media/886C72C69C2C4AA7AC9A1D2F9AD82F19

Johnson and KP during last summer's first Ashes Test in Brisbane // Getty Images

Johnson says while he's always enjoyed a bit of banter with his opponents when batting, it has had an adverse effect on his bowling in the past.

"I think when I'm batting I like to get it because it gets me going," he said.

"Batting wise I don't think it would've affected me. I've always enjoyed that side of it.

"It's probably just been more the bowling side where the confidence has been a bit low at times and I've probably let that stuff affect me.

"But batting wise I've always enjoyed that contest. I want them to come hard and take them off their game."