Michael Clarke says discipline issues drove 2013 ‘homeworkgate’ bans
The former Australian captain backed coach Mickey Arthur’s decision but now says the penalty was heavy and communication should have been better.
Michael Clarke says mounting discipline problems, rather than a single unfinished assignment, led to four Australian cricketers being ruled out of a Test in India in 2013. The former captain has acknowledged the punishment was heavy.
Australia had lost the opening two Tests when Shane Watson, James Pattinson, Mitchell Johnson and Usman Khawaja were made unavailable for the third. The official reason was a breach of protocol after they failed to complete an assignment set by coach Mickey Arthur.
During an interview on 2DayFM Breakfast with Nath & Emma, Clarke said the task required players to assess positives and negatives from the previous Test and submit their responses by a deadline. He said failures in discipline and preparation had already been accumulating before the four missed that requirement.
Clarke said Arthur made the decision to exclude the players and that he fully supported it as captain. He also accepted responsibility for his role, while acknowledging Australia’s team was not in a position to afford losing four players.
Looking back, Clarke said he would probably discuss the situation with Arthur and improve communication with supporters, the public and the players in an effort to avoid reaching that point.
