TOI responds to Mitchell Johnson's 'false quotes' allegations

He had agreed with the parts of the quotes.

Published - 24 Dec 2018, 19:56 IST | Updated - 24 Dec 2018, 19:56 IST

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Mitchell Johnson has been in the news ever since the Test series between Australia and India has started. His quotes regarding the series and the Indian captain Virat Kohli are doing the rounds while the cricketer is also active on social media. Recently, the news of Johnson praising Jasprit Bumrah and calling him ‘special’ surfaced as he gave an interview to the Times of India (TOI).

But the former Australian cricketer clearly denied everything saying that he never sat down with any of the journalists from TOI for an interview. At the same time, even the International Cricket Council (ICC) did the same news and Johnson didn’t mince his words in slamming them only for their official website to take down the article eventually.

Interesting article @TOISportsNews given I’m not in Melbourne & never sat down for a Q&A with this journalist https://t.co/BUNn1klcoc
— Mitchell Johnson (@MitchJohnson398) December 23, 2018

Johnson gave interview claims TOI

But the prominent news website in India has responded to Johnson ‘false quotes’ allegations releasing his picture with TOI’s journalist after giving an interview. They released a statement on their official Facebook page claiming that Mitchell Johnson gave them an interview during the Perth Test. He had also agreed with the parts of the quotes but was not remembering of sitting down with a journalist.

TOI also posted an image of Johnson with Sumit Mukherjee who took his exclusive interview during the second Test between Australia and India.

“TOI correspondent Sumit Mukherjee spoke with Mitchell Johnson in the Optus Stadium media centre during the Perth test. The interview TOI carried was based on parts of that conversation. The interview (not a formal sit-down one) was conducted over several short sessions interspersed with Johnson’s commentary stints. TOI stands by the interview and regrets Johnson’s faint memory.

“Also, look at Johnson’s first tweet in response to ICC’s tweet on this story where Johnson said “I do agree with parts of it but never sat down with anyone from memory.” Here is a picture of Sumit and Johnson together at one of their small conversation sessions to refresh it,” the statement read.

TOI stands by its interview with @MitchJohnson398 which was carried on December 23, 2018. Read our statement below. pic.twitter.com/YVLicywIfS
— TOI Sports (@toisports) December 24, 2018