Along with Watson the other cricketers who have been dropped from the side include firebrand fast bowlers James Pattinson and Mitchell Johnson and reserve batsman Usman Khawaja.
When asked in a press conference this morning why the players had been dropped, Test captain Michael Clarke seemed angry and pulled no punches when talking about the dropped foursome.
“In my opinion, for the four players to not do it, not only does it let the team down, it also shows a lack of respect for the head coach and in the Australian cricket team that is unacceptable.”
Quite what it was that the players have been dropped for is not entirely clear, with Clarke being strangely guarded when questioned as to what exactly the quartet had failed to do.
“We were asked to do one thing from the head coach and I am not going to go deep into it but it was giving information back to the head coach about not only improving your game… but also how can you help this team turn things around and have success.”
Clarke also alluded to the fact that this wasn’t the only incident on tour which had lead him and coach Mickey Arthur to question the commitment of some members of the touring squad.
“It’s not just about one incident,” Clarke said. “There have been a number of issues on this tour where I don’t think we have been hitting our standard.”
This is just the latest embarrassing incident in a sub-continental tour that the Australian cricket team would soon rather forget about, having already been thoroughly beaten in the first two Tests of the series.
Perhaps of greatest concern to Australian cricket fans would be the dropping of James Pattinson (Australia’s best bowler in recent times) and that of the 31-year old vice captain, Shane Watson, who has reportedly told reporters that the decision has made him question his future in the sport.
‘I am going to spend the next few weeks with my family and weigh up my options as to exactly which direction I want to go,’’
Watson was always going to miss the fourth Test of the series to fly home and be with his wife, Lee, at the birth of their first child but the disciplinary actions taken have reportedly left him devastated.
Watson said.‘‘I am at a stage where I have to weigh up my future with what I want to do with my cricket in general.’’
Clarke has remained unapologetic throughout the process though, telling the press: ‘‘We can’t accept mediocrity here. This is the Australian cricket team.”
Which is a funny really because mediocrity seems to be about the only thing this crop of Australian players is actually good at. Mediocre might be a kind word to use actually.
