Australia’s 2015 World Cup-winning skipper Michael Clarke is satisfied with the way India has raised the bar. More often, the top-notch team has relied on the blend of youth and experience. However, he maintained that he’s a bit concerned about India’s strategy for chopping and changing when it comes to the team line-up. As of now, Indian National Cricket Team is aiming to get their balance right, for the 2019 World Cup. The quadrennial event will kick off on May 30 in England and Wales.
While talking to India Today, former Aussie cricketer Clarke maintained Team India is not ‘too concerned’ to win or lose the games. Meanwhile, the hosts are concurrently taking on Australia in the ongoing limited-overs leg before the ODI showpiece.
India’s approach concerns Clarke:
Clarke’s statement came after visiting team recorded their historical Twent20 International (T20I) series win over India at home.
“My only concern with India’s approach in the first two T20s against Australia and in the current series is that they are not too concerned about winning or losing those games,” Clarke told India Today Conclave 2019.
The Men in Blue lost the two-match T20I series 2-0 following the remarkable hundred from Glenn Maxwell at Bengaluru on February 27. The right-handed batsman Maxwell hammered 55-ball unbeaten 113 to take his team home convincing by seven wickets.
Pertinently, skipper Virat Kohli earlier hinted that they would opt to use their players judiciously ahead of the mega event to get their combination right.
Since 2015, it was Kohli’s first loss as a captain at home.
Furthermore, critics remarked it’s not the right time to experiment in the lead up to the 2019 World Cup.
Kohli’s is testing a couple of players: Clarke
Clarke stressed his ploy would have been altogether different. He added Kohli is aiming to test a couple of players in the ongoing ODI series. The five-match series kicked off on March 2 in Hyderabad in a bid to finalise the 15-man World Cup squad.
“Listening to Virat talking after the last T20, these ODIs their approach is going to be the same. They are going to try a few players whom they are going to take in the 15 to the World Cup. That would be a little bit different from my approach,” Clarked maintained.
The 37-year-old Clarke opined his stance would have been to win every game for his country. He added it would have helped to provide impetus to the squad before the kick off of the ODI showpiece.
“My attitude leading up to the World Cup was trying and winning every game to get the momentum and get confidence into our group,” Clarke inferred.
Well, for the first ODI against Australia bowling all-rounder, Ravindra Jadeja has made a comeback after a prolonged gap. He last featured in the ODI against Australia on 18 January 2018, at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).