Michael Clarke believes Australia has put itself in awkward place forward of the Ashes after the “unbelievable” resolution to drop Travis Head for the primary Test in opposition to India.
Speaking on Sky Sports Radio’s ‘The Big Sports Breakfast’ on Tuesday morning, Clarke stated Australia “could have won the series” had it not been for self-inflicted errors.
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The most evident being the selectors leaving Head out, who topscored for Australia within the second innings of all three Tests he performed, departing for 90 in Ahmedabad.
“Unbelievable,” Clarke stated.
“Has somebody come out and said, ‘We got it wrong’ yet? Everyone came out at the time and said, ‘We made the right decision’, is it still the right decision to have not picked Travis Head in the first Test match?
“Being a selector is a tough gig, don’t get me wrong, but we have to admit we got it wrong in not picking Steve Smith in our Twenty20 World Cup campaign, 100 per cent we got that wrong and 100 per cent we got it wrong not picking Travis Head in the first Test match. So, no coincidence we lost both.
“We lost the T20 World Cup, underperformed, and we had every opportunity when you look at this Test series gone by, no matter how tough the wicket has been. We could’ve won the series. That’s how close it should’ve been.”
Clarke stated there have been some “positives” to come back out the way in which Australia improved over time within the four-Test sequence within the subcontinent.
But that in itself was a lesson as consideration turns to the World Test Championship after which, later, England and the Ashes.
“Let’s also see what our preparation is like for that Ashes series, hopefully we’ve learnt from what happened in India as well,” Clarke stated.
“Our cricket got better the more we played there, no coincidence.”
Going again to the non-selection of Head within the opening Test although, Clarke recommended it will have been a shock not simply to the 29-ytear-old however his teammates too.
“Can you imagine as well Travis Head, a senior player, he’s captained South Africa, his record in the last 12 months outstanding, No.4 ranked Test batter in the world, imagine the shock he would have got being told he’s not being picked and he’s around the group as well,” Clarke stated.
“Everybody would have been going, ‘What has just happened here?’. We shot ourselves in the foot.”
Head stated late final month that he had “robust” conversations with selectors, who ommited him from the primary Test primarily on account of earlier struggles on the subcontinent.
But that had Clarke questioning whether or not selectors will now choose for the same angle in direction of skipper David Warner, whose struggles in England are well-documented.
“You look silly now,” Clarke stated.
“Because all of us past players and fans go, ‘OK. It seems like even if I disagree with the selection or non-selection of Travis Head, I respect they are saying horses for courses’. OK, you’re going to go with that, cool.
“The first Test in England, how do they pick David Warner? How do they justify that if they do pick Dave Warner now?”
For the report, Clarke stated he’s “100 per cent” behind backing Warner to play within the opening Test in opposition to England.
“If he doesn’t perform, then you can drop him,” added Clarke.
But usually, Clarke stated there must be extra persistence with gamers’ performances within the subcontinent, significantly with those that are new to the circumstances.
“It’s so hard [when you first play there],” he stated.
“Even the best players in spin, it’s different. It’s a different place to play spin bowling. It takes time to adjust and work out that inconsistent bounce, to work out which shots are appropriate, that variation takes time, you’ve got to give guys an opportunity.
“Even if they started with Travis Head, gave him a couple of Tests and he didn’t perform, the selectors could justify that. But to not pick him in the first Test, it’s exactly what England did with Anderson and Broad when they came to Australia, they just tried to get too funky. Give your best players the first chance.”
Originally printed as Michael Clarke highlights ‘unbelievable’ mistake that value Aussies
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
