'Executioner' Mitchell Johnson forced Jonathon Trott to leave Ashes tour

Former England batsman Jonathon Trott has revealed that it was the incredible fast bowling barrage he received from his "executioner" Mitchell Johnson, which forced him to leave the 2013-14 Ashes Tour mid-way.

In his controversial autobiography 'Unguarded', which is being serialised by The Times newspaper, the right-handed former batsman has described Johnson as "my executioner" and Australia's cricket team as "like hyenas round a dying zebra".

Earlier, it was believed that Trott had to leave the 2013-14 Ashes Tour due to a stress-related illness but an extract from the autobiography reveals the real reason as how the England batsman was left "helpless, blindfolded and handcuffed", reports news.com.au.

The 35-year-old was dismissed twice by Johnson in the first Test at the Gabba, before announcing his shock decision to quit the tour.

The left arm-pacer had left the English batsmen at sea and took 37 wickets in the five-match series.

In the extract, Trott talks in detail about the negative mental state which prompted his departure.

"I felt I was being led out to face the firing squad by the time we reached Brisbane," Trott wrote. "Mitchell Johnson was to be my executioner," he added.

Trott walked out to bat at the Gabba with his team in a relatively good position on Day One of the first Test but it was "a mess" for him.

After negotiating a tough first over from Ryan Harris, it was time for Trott to face up to Johnson.

"They (Australia) know they have something special in Johnson. And they know I'm struggling. They're circled like hyenas round a dying zebra," he writes.

The 52-Test veteran, however, said that he bears no ill whatsoever towards Johnson, despite the Aussie left-arm pacer effectively hastening the end of his international career. However, it should be noted that Trott made a brief comeback to Test cricket in 2015 before retiring.

"One day, I'd like to shake him by the hand and say, 'Well bowled.' I don't bear him an ounce of resentment. Test cricket is meant to be hard and he was admirably ruthless," Trott wrote.

During his service for the England cricket team in the white jersey, Trott scored a total of 3, 835 runs at an average of 44.08, which included nine hundreds and 19 half centuries.