Mohali: In an unprecedented move, Australia axed vice-captain Shane Watson and three other key players on Monday from the side for the third Test against India for failing to obey team management orders, giving a shocking twist to their already disastrous tour.
Watson, pacers James Pattinson and Mitchell Johnson and batsman Usman Khawaja were dropped for failing to make a presentation on how to improve their personal as well as the team’s performance after the innings and 135-run defeat in the second Test in Hyderabad.
“That’s a line-in-the-sand moment. We have given these guys absolute clarity,” Australia coach Mickey Arthur said while making the announcement at a press conference here.
The stunning turn of events leaves Australia, trailing 0-2 in the series, with just 13 players to choose from for the third Test starting here on Thursday.
“After Hyderabad the whole team was really hurting, we were discussing ways of getting back into the series,” Arthur said.
“We were particularly aware of where we were as a team and how we were going to get back. I asked the players at the end of the game to give me an individual presentation.
“I wanted three points from each of them technically, mentally and team as to how we were going to get back over the next couple of games, how we were going to get ourselves back into the series,” he added.
Arthur said the dropped players failed to meet the deadline set for making the presentation and it was important to maintain team discipline by punishing them.
Arthur said even skipper Michael Clarke feels that it was time to crack the whip in what has been a thoroughly disappointing series for the team.
“Pup (Clarke) and I came to the conclusion that we have been so focused on winning cricket games that maybe some people have been cutting corners. Perhaps there have been some soft options taken. We decided that we needed to really get that in line,” he said.
This comes as a massive blow to the team, which is likely to be without wicket-keeper Matthew Wade due to injury.
Brad Haddin is being flown in as cover for Wade, who sprained his right ankle on Saturday while playing basketball.
Pattinson, who has been their in-form bowler, will be missed badly as the track in Mohali is expected to assist the seamers.
Khawaja was expected to replace Phil Hughes in the team but that has now been ruled out, providing the out-of-form number three batsman another opportuni-ty to prove his worth.
The fourth player to be dropped, Mitchell Johnson, has not played in the series.
The sacking of the four players evoked sharp reactions from Australian greats like Shane Warne, Allan Border, Mark Waugh, Ian Chappell who strongly criticised the team management’s decision.
“I’m surprised that’s the penalty for something so mundane. It seems like it was on a schoolboy tour or something. It’s an over the top reaction,” Border said.
“I’m surprised that’s the penalty for something so mundane. It seems like it was on a schoolboy tour or something. It’s an over the top reaction,” he said.
Waugh said he had never heard of such a decision and Australian team manage-ment should have dealt the issue in a better way.
“I’m stunned. I’ve never heard of this sort of thing before at top level in any sport. When you are losing there are niggling things there but they’re grown men, it’s not school boy stuff,” Waugh said.
“The issue of 4 players being unavailable for Aust selection due to not delivering homework or a report to the coach, the answer is simple. The Capt runs the team & in conjunction with the selectors picks the team. The Capt should always have final say. Ridiculous what’s happening,” Warne tweeted.
Within hours, Watson suddenly left for home, raising intense speculation of a revolt within the team.
Although Cricket Australia denied that Watson’s departure was a result of the decision and that he was heading home to be with his pregnant wife, the cricketer himself came out with a contradictory version.
Watson was about to tell coach Mickey Arthur and captain Michael Clarke on Monday that he would have to miss the fourth Test in Delhi to be home for the birth of his first child.
“I was about to communicate that to Mickey and the leadership group today but they obviously beat me to it by telling me that I was not selected for this Test match,” Watson said.
“Any time you are suspended for a Test match unless you do something unbelievably wrong, and absolutely everyone knows what those rules are – I think it is very harsh,” Watson said. “I am at a stage where I am sort of weighing up my future and what I want to do with my cricket in general, to be honest,” he said. (PTI)
