‘Alarm bells are ringing’ for Australia’s aging squad

MITCHELL Johnson says alarm bells are “ringing loud and clear" for Australia after a double injury blow exposed cracks in their ageing squad.

- MITCHELL Johnson

Johnson, the fiery left-arm quick who enjoyed notable highs and lows in Ashes cricket, was not surprised the hosts had been beset by fitness issues in the buildup to Friday's first Test in Perth.

The Baggy Greens have lost captain Pat Cummins, inform Josh Hazlewood and backup paceman Sean Abbott in the buildup to the series and are set to lean on veteran Scott Boland, as well as the uncapped Brendan Doggett at Optus Stadium.

Johnson thinks a squad that contains just one player under 30 has backed itself into a difficult corner.

“When your leaders are all in their mid-to-late 30s and have heavy workloads banked, the odds eventually turn on you,” he wrote in the West Australian newspaper.

“While losing Pat Cummins to injury was already a blow, one injury to a frontline quick is manageable. Losing two out of the big three starts to rewrite the whole script for the Ashes.

“It narrows Australia’s margin for error and it forces selectors into decisions they'd hoped they wouldn't have to make this early.

“It's the sort of scenario that exposes the age profile of the squad more than anything else.