IND vs AUS | Australia Should Have Used Matthew Hayden and Mark Waugh's Expertise: Michael Clarke
Australia are trailing 0-2 in the series [AP Photos]
The ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 in India has been tough for batters, more so for the Australians, who completely look out of their comfort zone against the spin of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Both the Nagpur and Delhi Tests produced spin-friendly tracks, which in all fairness did not play as terribly as the Australian batters made it to be.
Former skipper Michael Clarke has now raised doubts over the team management's decision not to ask for guidance from the likes of Matthew Hayden and Mark Waugh, who are in India for a commentary gig.
Hayden tormented spinners in Asian conditions and displayed his class during the famous 2000-01 BGT, while Waugh was a technically sound and gifted batter for all conditions.
Speaking with Backstage with Boria show, Clarke, himself a master in the art of playing spin in India, reiterated his point that the team should have landed early in India to play warm-ups ahead of BGT.
Here's what Clarke said
"Matt Hayden and Mark Waugh are both there in India as commentators. If I was in the Australian camp, I would want both of these men to be with the team at the nets every single day. If they want money give it to them.
Even Hayden who used the sweep to perfection is saying on commentary that you can’t just sweep every ball or play the reverse sweep every ball. He knows it. You can play these shots when you are not out 80, not when you are on 8. Why can’t the management use these players? Why can’t they draw on their experience?”
However, Clarke did not rule out an Australian comeback while lauding Rohit Sharma's captaincy.
Both teams will battle it out tomorrow in the third Test at Indore, where Australia will be playing to restore their lost pride.
 "Vishal Mehra")
