Former Australian captain Michael Clarke questioned the management about resting all the key players for the 3rd and final ODI vs Pakistan. All the participants who will likely feature in the playing XI vs India in the 1st Test did not take the field in the series decider against Pakistan. Clarke raised concerns that Australia did not care about losing an ODI series to Pakistan on their own home soil. Pakistan registered their very first ODI series win in 22 years on Australian soil.
“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. If Australia had won the first two games, then you can understand why they rest their big fish, but it was series on the line. I feel like we obviously don’t care about losing that series,” Clarke said on Big Sports Breakfast.
BGT participants rested
Australia captain Pat Cummins, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood were rested for the 3rd and final ODI match vs Pakistan. in the absence of key batters, Australia managed only 140 runs and lost the match by 8 wickets vs Pakistan. Meanwhile, Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head were not in the ODI side and won’t be taking part in the T20I series as well because of their paternity break. The mentioned players, barring Travis Head, are part of Australia’s 13-member squad for the 1st Test vs India in Perth.
“If you’re not going to care, we’re not going to care”
Clarke felt that this way fans won’t turn up to the stadiums to watch one-day cricket.
“If you’re not going to care, we’re not going to care. You can’t expect the fans to want to come and watch one-day cricket. We are bagging one-day cricket, no one is turning up, hasn’t got the interest.”
In the absence of key batters, Australia were bundled out for just 140 runs in the final ODI and in response, Pakistan completed the chase within 26.5 overs and 8 wickets in hands. Meanwhile, former Australian captain Tim Paine defended the decision to rest the participants of the Border Gavaskar trophy series.