Starc can still get better: Johnson

Mitchell Johnson has warned opposition batsmen that pace spearhead Mitchell Starc will only get better following his record-breaking performance on the disappointing Test tour of Sri Lanka.

Johnson, speaking in Perth to mark 50 days until the start of the Commonwealth Bank Test series against South Africa at the WACA Ground, said he expected Starc to "dominate" when the summer gets underway on November 3.

"I watched a bit of the Sri Lanka Test series and it was quite disappointing, the boys didn't bat that well, they all know that," Johnson said.

"But it was really exciting to see Mitchy Starc perform well.

"I thought he was close when we went over to England for that (2015) Ashes series, and he wasn't quite there.

"But he's shown after his injury he's really committed to working really hard.

"I've kept in touch with him and he was really positive going into that series. To be the leading wicket-taker in Sri Lanka in those conditions was really positive and a good step forward."

Starc pulled up sore in the opening Ashes Test in Cardiff last July due to bone spurs in his left ankle, but battled through the series until succumbing to a broken bone in his foot during the day-night Test against New Zealand last November, after which he took time out to repair both injuries.

And he returned to cricket with a bang this year, dominating the one-day tri-series in the Caribbean and playing every match of Australia's Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka, including setting a new world record for the fastest to 100 ODI wickets.

The left-armer was one of few Australian players to enhance their reputation in the Sri Lankan Test series that Australia lost 3-0, which cost them their world No.1 ranking.

The New South Wales left-armer finished with 24 wickets at an average of 15.16 to be the tourists' leading wicket-taker, while host spinner Rangana Herath was the overall leader with 28 wickets and Australia's leading spinner was Nathan Lyon with 16 scalps at 31.93.

Back on Australian wickets, Johnson expects Starc to continue to terrorise batsmen this summer.

"He can dominate again. On wickets that will provide bounce – with his height, it's going to be very difficult (to face him)," Johnson said.

"He bowls a fuller ball, he definitely gets the ball up there, and especially on a wicket like the WACA where you can get good bounce, it's really vital to be up there. He'll swing the ball when he pitches the ball up.

"That yorker he's got is very dangerous, and he's always working to improve his game.

"He's still pretty fresh in Test cricket and he's only going to get better. He's going to keep breaking records I think as well. It's really exciting."

Johnson said the transition from his retirement at the WACA last November had been near seamless due to Starc's rise, and said he felt the current crop of players offered plenty of balance.

But Johnson warned Australia not to underestimate South Africa, who are in a transition phase and have currently fallen to fifth in the ICC Test rankings.

"Coming up against South Africa at the start (of the summer) is really going to test Australia," Johnson said.

"South Africa are going through a bit of a change at the moment, but there's a few guys that have come back into really good form. Dale Steyn's back in form, Morne (Morkel) is floating around there and they've got a great batting line-up as always.

"Australia have always competed very hard against them, in same sort of conditions they have back home. They're used to these sort of conditions. It's great to see a Test series start in Perth."