Melbourne, Dec.14 : Embattled Marlon Samuels has received unusual support from Australia’s former pace spearhead Mitchell Johnson, who said that the West Indies all-rounder is not simply the man many are making him out to be.
Samuels has come under heavy criticism for his supposed lack of commitment to his team’s cause, with spin legend Shane Warne saying that the West Indies all-rounder lacks intensity while playing for his country at the highest level.
West Indies slumped to an innings and 212-run defeat against Australia in the first Test of the three-match series in Hobart.
The pressure mounted on Samuels as he received a 12-month ban from bowling by the International Cricket Council after he failed to clear a test on his action.
Johnson, who faced Samuels several times including this year’s two-Test series in the Caribbean, insisted that the perception about the veteran West Indies batsman was not correct and said that he was a really nice guy to talk to, News.com.au reported.
The former left-hander further said that it was unfair to criticize Samuels when he decided to stay and fight it out in Test cricket unlike his fellow senior guys like Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo, who prefer money-driven global Twenty20 tournaments over their country. (ANI)