Australia are likely to keep faith with struggling fast bowler Mitchell Johnson for the third Ashes Test against England, starting at Edgbaston on Thursday.

But Australia captain Ricky Ponting said he was planning to give the left-arm quick a different role to the one he’d played in the first two Tests.

Johnson arrived in England with the reputation of being the best pace bowler currently in world cricket.

But in the first two Tests of this series, Johnson has taken eight wickets for 331 runs at an expensive average of 41 apiece and conceded runs at a rate of four an over.

Johnson’s struggles continued during last week’s tour game against Northamptonshire, where he had figures of one for 107 from 18.1 overs.

He started to lose form during a poor spell with the new ball on the final afternoon of the first Test in Cardiff, where England clung on for a draw, and continued during the home side’s 115-run win in the second Test – Australia’s first Ashes defeat at Lord’s in 75 years.

Former captain Allan Border has been among those calling for Johnson to be dropped but Ponting said he wanted to use the 27-year-old as more of a strike, rather than stock, bowler.

“There has been a lot of talk about his technique and his action being all over the place,” Ponting told reporters on Wednesday.

“We have had some good close looks at that and it is actually not. I think right at the moment it is more of a confidence thing and we will probably look at him in this game playing in a slightly different way than I have in the last couple of games and use him more as a strike impact type of bowler.

“As we have seen anyway he has had the ability to strike for us and take wickets for us. That part of his game is still there.”

Asked if he ever considered dropping Johnson, Ponting replied: “No to tell you the truth”.

Pressed on whether his comments meant Johnson was now definitely in the third Test team, Ponting tried to back-track by saying Australia had still to finalise their XI. But the inference of his earlier remarks seemed clear.

However, with the accurate Stuart Clark waiting in the wings, the selectors may yet decide to make a change to their seam attack.

Former Australia captain Kim Hughes has blamed a public falling out between Johnson and the bowler’s mother, Vikki Harber, for the player’s loss of form.

Harber has accused Johnson’s fiancee, Jessica Bratich, of stealing her from him and said her son’s partner was more interested in money and fame than Johnson’s career.

Ponting admitted that there have been off-field issues for Johnson that have “probably not been making life any easier for him or us”.

But Johnson told Australia’s Woman’s Day magazine Harber was not to blame for his struggles out in the middle.

“It probably might seem, at this time, like things have been distracting me. I was a bit disappointed with what has been going on, but I don’t let things like that distract me,” Johnson said.

“Otherwise, you are thinking about what’s going on when you are in the field and you can’t focus.”

Meanwhile England captain Andrew Strauss insisted Johnson remained a dangerous opponent.

“He’s been a fantastic performer for a number of Tests, the last couple he’s had a bit of a lean trot,” Strauss told reporters.

“He obviously bowls wicket-taking deliveries.

“You can kind of see why he’s taken so many wickets in a short space of time. I think the more overs he bowls, the better he is going to get, it’s just a question for the Aussies as to whether they are going to play him or not.”

It is 12 years since Australia were 1-0 down in an Ashes series but Ponting said he took heart from the way they fought back in the Lord’s Test.

“That said a lot about the players and a lot about the Australian spirit. When we have a point to prove, it’s generally when our best stuff comes out.

“We have to be spot on because we have to win this one or the next one (the fourth Test at Headingley) if we want to win the Ashes.”

Australian media and cricket fans Monday called for Mitchell Johnson to be left out of Thursday’s third Ashes Test against England amid mounting concerns over his lack of bowling form.

The left-arm pace spearhead has been struggling with his eight wickets going for 331 runs in the opening two Tests of the series, and it got no better with match figures of 1-107 off 18.1 overs in the weekend tour match against Northamptonshire.

Pundits and cricket followers chorused that it was time to find someone else to share the new ball with the Australians already 0-1 down in the best-of-five Test series.

“It’s hard to justify Johnson’s inclusion in a four-pronged attack,” The Sydney Morning Herald’s Peter Roebuck said. “Australia cannot afford to carry a pace bowler on a wing and a prayer.

“Johnson has had a bad tour. He’s been in England for months. His action has gone to pot and his confidence is in his boots. Perhaps too much was expected.”

The Australian said Johnson “was by far the worst” of Australia’s bowlers in the three-day match at Northampton, which the tourists won by 135 runs. Fellow paceman Stuart Clark impressed to boost his chances of a recall.

“If form is any guide Johnson should be replaced by Stuart Clark for the third Test at Edgbaston, beginning on Thursday,” the newspaper’s Malcolm Conn said.

The Herald said Johnson’s “disconsolate” body language was noticeable in the Northamptonshire match.

“Every play and miss, every shot that eluded a fielder was greeted with a slumped head and a resigned slap on the thigh,” the SMH’s Chloe Saltau said.

“His long-awaited breakthrough did little to suggest he can resurrect his tour in the bearpit that is Edgbaston from Thursday, where the English batsmen will prey on his technical and mental vulnerability.”

Fans also called time on the misfiring Johnson with a majority on newspaper blog sites saying he had to go.

“When batsmen are out of form they get dropped. So should bowlers. Being 1-0 down we need five fit and in-form bowlers to win a Test,” one fan said.

“The team should be picked on form. Mitchell’s bowling form is not good, so he should stand aside until he is one of the top 11 players again,” another said.

Former Australia speedster Glenn McGrath feels there’s nothing wrong with Mitchell Johnson’s bowling and advised his protege to sort out “the mental side of things” as the left-arm pacer struggles to find form in the ongoing Ashes series against England.

McGrath, who has been Australia’s most successful fast bowler with 563 Test wickets, has been mentoring Johnson over the past two years and thinks the left-arm pacer needs to keep a clear mind and not worry too much about technical problems.

“A lot of people will be giving Mitch all kinds of technical advice, saying his bowling arm is too low when delivering the ball or his wrist position is wrong, but in my experience, these losses of form are nearly always mental issues, rather than technical ones,” McGrath said.

“He had a bit of a lay-off before the Australians came over here, and you cannot always just pick up from where you left off,” the 39-year-old was quoted as saying by ‘The Australian’.

“What I would say to Mitch is that he hasn’t lost any of the ability that makes him one of the most talented all-round cricketers in the world.

“If Mitch can sort out the mental side of things, I’m convinced everything else would fall into place,” said McGrath.

The injured Brett Lee said he and the other bowlers had been talking to Johnson to boost his confidence.

“Everyone’s been chatting to him and offering their advice. I’ve been offering my advice,” Lee said.

“It’s not like I’m standing up the front of the class room telling him what to do. Mitch is running ideas around. Everyone’s in it together. He got his opportunity in South Africa and really took it,” said the injured pacer.

“He’s obviously searching for a lot more wickets, but it’s not a matter of everyone being panicked and stressed out, saying what’s going on.”

Lee emphasised the need of keeping faith in Johnson. “It’s very important we keep sound with him, keep faith in ourselves and keep backing our ability. That’s why Australia’s done well.”

A veteran of two Ashes tours to England, Lee feels bowling in English conditions requires some adjustments.

“The key word over here is patience. Playing in Australia and South Africa, it’s more conducive to fast bowling, particularly in South Africa.

“It’s just so important when you’re on wickets that are benign and aren’t conducive to fast bowling, you’ve got to find a way to get around that,” said Lee.