Former Captain Criticizes Australia for Resting Key Players in Series Decider Against Pakistan?

Former captain of the Australian cricket team Michael Clarke has pointed the blame at Cricket Australia (CA) for the host’s ODI series loss to Pakistan. Clarke expressed disappointment with CA’s decision to rest key players in the decisive ODI match of the recent series suggesting it underscored a lack of regard for the ODI format.

On Sunday, Australia suffered its first home ODI series defeat to Pakistan since 2002, as the visitors clinched a dominant eight-wicket victory in the series finale with the Australian squad missing some of its biggest names, including skipper Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Steve Smith, and Marnus Labuschagne. 

Michael Clarke, who led Australia to victory in the 2015 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, was particularly critical of how the hosts treated the series. He highlighted Australia’s decision to prioritize preparations for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a five-match Test series against India, scheduled to start 11 days after the third ODI against Pakistan.

Speaking on an Australian radio show, Michael Clarke questioned the necessity of resting key players.

“I’m just a bit confused. So, 11 days between now and the first Test in Perth, why can’t the Aussie boys who are part of this Test series play in the one-dayer?” he remarked. Michael Clarke added that had Australia already won the first two games, resting key players might have been justified. However, with the series still undecided, he felt that it sent the wrong message.

The former skipper also criticized CA’s seeming indifference to ODI cricket, a format he feels is increasingly overlooked amid a crowded franchise calendar. “You can’t expect the fans to want to come and watch one-day cricket,” he said. “We are bagging one-day cricket. No one is turning up; it hasn’t got the interest.”

Reflecting on the broader implications of this approach, Michael Clarke noted, “I feel like we obviously don’t care about losing that series. If you’re not going to care, we’re not going to care.”

Australia’s mainstays are also set to be absent when Pakistan and Australia faceoff in the T20 series beginning on November 14th leaving the visitors with a golden opportunity of a historic T20I win Down Under as well.