Spencer Johnson has a hard act to follow as the Australian pace bowling weapon for IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders, so Mitchell Starc's like-for-like replacement will be relieved to have got off the mark with his first win for his new franchise.
The 29-year-old Johnson was seen as an ideal cut-price succesor to Starc, after KKR decided not to retain the uber-expensive left-armer who'd come up big right at the business end of their push to the 2024 title.
Snapped up for $A510,000 compared to the $4.43 million Starc had cost KKR a year earlier, Johnson, who'd played only five matches for Gujurat Titans in 2024, now has the pressure of delivering for a team who believe they can retain the crown this year.
