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Michael Clarke has stressed that the dramatic axing
of four players including the vice-captain Shane Watson for the third
Test in Mohali was due to a continued failure of some players to meet
the standards set by the team. Watson flew home after being told he and
three other players would not be considered for the match and is considering his Test future, although his departure was also largely spurred by the fact that his wife Lee Furlong is due to give birth soon.
Watson, James Pattinson, Mitchell Johnson and Usman Khawaja failed to
comply with an order from the coach Mickey Arthur to provide feedback on
where they and the team could improve after the embarrassing loss in
Hyderabad. But Clarke said the decision, made by Arthur, Clarke and the
team manager Gavin Dovey, was an example to players that no longer would
they get away with cutting corners.
"No doubt it's been a tough day," Clarke said late on Monday. "I want
the public and the media to understand, don't get me wrong, it's not
just about one incident. Firstly on this tour our performances have been
unacceptable and there has been some stuff off the field [that has been
unacceptable] for the standards an Australian cricket team needs to
present itself to achieve what we are trying to achieve ... I know it is
a tough day, a really tough day and it's a tough decision, but at the
end of the day if people are not hitting those standards there are going
to be consequences.
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Mickey Arthur on the axing of four players on disciplinary grounds
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"Our head coach gave us two days off after the second Test, it was about
freshening yourself up, get your rehab [done], your recovery, do what
you have to do, get everything right for the next two Test matches,
because the next two Test matches are as big as you might have in your
career and you have an opportunity to turn this series around.
"We were asked to do one thing from the head coach. It was giving
information back to the head coach about not only improving your game -
what you've learnt from the first two Test matches - but also how can
you help this team turn things around and have success.
"It was a very simple task. Yes, it took a lot of thinking because you
had to look at your game and where you thought you could improve, what
you had learnt and what you could do to help this team level this
series. In my opinion, for the four players to not do it, not only does
it let the team down, it also shows a lack of respect for the head coach
and in the Australian cricket team that is unacceptable."
While Clarke did not elaborate on what other standards had not been met,
Arthur earlier in the day said that some players had failed to fill in
the daily wellness forms required to allow the sports science and
medical staff to monitor their health. Clarke said an accumulation of
minor infractions - regardless of the players involved - had led to a
decision that an example had to be made.
"There have been a number of issues on this tour where I don't think we
have been hitting our standards," Clarke said. "We have not done what is
required for this Australian cricket team to have the success we want
it to have. It's no coincidence we have lost the first two Test matches
quite convincingly so we have to turn that around, we have to lift our
standards.
"We can't accept mediocrity here. This is the Australian cricket team.
Maybe I am biased [but] there is a big difference between this team and
other cricket teams. If you play for Australia there is a lot that comes
with that and standards, discipline, culture that is all a big part of
what we are talking about here."
Pattinson, Khawaja and Johnson will be available for the Delhi Test but
given Watson's comments about considering his future he appears unlikely
to rejoin the tour. No decision has been made on who will stand in as
vice-captain in his absence.
Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. He tweets here
Feeds: Brydon Coverdale
© ESPN EMEA Ltd.
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