Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has joined the chorus of criticism following the team’s heavy defeat in the second Test in Delhi.
Clarke said Australia’s preparation suffered because Cricket Australia made the Big Bash a focus. He said the problem was exacerbated by poor selection, with Travis Head dropped for the first Test.
“I’m not surprised by what I’m seeing because we didn’t have a tour game,” Clarke said on Monday on Big Sports Breakfast. “Major, major, major mistake. There should have been at least one game over there to get used to the conditions.
“Selection for the first Test, major, major mistake. Second Test, blokes sweeping, we saw enough of that the first Test match. They’re not the right conditions to sweep when you start your innings. And they’re never going to be the right conditions to reverse sweep against the spin at the start of your innings.”
Australia looked on course for a match-winning lead after resuming on Sunday at 1-61, leading by 62. The recalled Head looked solid after being promoted to the top of the order when David Warner was subbed out due to concussion.
Head was caught behind from the first over of the day for 43. With the score at 2-85, Steve Smith attempted a wild swing across the line to prompt a collapse of 8-28.
Clockwise from main: Michael Clarke, Pat Cummins and Steve Smith.
A quarter of Australia’s 40 wickets in the series so far have fallen to sweep shots, including Smith, Matt Renshaw, Pat Cummins and Alex Carey in nine overs on Sunday.
“It doesn’t matter how many support staff there are around, you’re playing for Australia. Surely as a batsman playing at the highest level, you calculate that risk versus reward,” Clarke said.
“Against spin bowling on a pitch like that, you would say my ‘swim between the flags’ is play straight, hit with spin.
“Let’s just stick to those two theories. Straight bat … I’m going to be playing every single ball with the spin.”
Clarke said Australia failed to learn from the way India bat in spinning conditions, which included all but ignoring the sweep shot.
“It’s like we’re not watching India bat,” he said. “Why would you not look at that example and go, ‘OK, these guys know the conditions so well, and this is how they’re playing’. Why would we try and do something different when they have been so good?
“The game was there for us to win if we make 200 … and we were 1-60.”
Clarke also questioned the field placings of captain Pat Cummins with India needing 115 to win.
Travis Head top-scored for Australia in the second innings after being recalled. Credit:Getty Images
“I’m not sure what happened with our tactics either,” Clarke said. “We had just 100 runs on the board.
“At one stage Patty Cummins had four blokes on the boundary. There’s two-and-a-half days left in the Test match. You’re either bowling India out for under a hundred or you’re losing, one or the other.
“If you lose in 20 overs, or you lose in two days, it’s irrelevant. So fielders get up, bat-pad off side, bat-pad leg side. If the ball turns, if the ball bounces, if the ball shoots along the ground, if you make an error in judgment, you are getting out.
“That’s what Australia had to do with the ball. I know it’s only a tiny run lead, but we had to still try and win the game, and we had mid-off back, mid-on back, deep point, deep square leg. What was I watching?”
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