Former Australian captain Michael Clarke has revisited his role in the controversial call to drop four players during the nightmare tour of India in 2013.
After losing the first two Test convincingly, Australia made the shock decision to make four players ineligible for the third Test, which became known as ‘homeworkgate’.
Shane Watson and James Pattinson, who both played the second Test, were dropped, while Mitchell Johnson and Usman Khawaja, who were part of the touring party, were also ineligible.
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They were officially ruled out for a “breach of protocol” with the quartet failing to complete a team-improvement assignment given by coach Mickey Arthur.
The harsh penalty was met with strong criticism from former players and commentators, but it was later revealed that it was a result of repeated indiscretions.
Speaking on 2DayFM Breakfast with Nath & Emma, Clarke was asked by a caller if it was true the four stars were dropped for not doing their homework.
“There is some GST added to this one, but this one is partial truth,” he said.
“Four players did get dropped in India, but it wasn’t because they didn’t do their homework.
“At that stage I think we were ranked fifth in the world as a team, and we had a number of things we were trying to put into place.
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“We were letting ourselves down with discipline and doing the work. And then the line in the sand was when the coach asked all the players to do, call it, ‘homework’.
“It was to look at the pros and the cons for the Test match that had happened and we had to hand it in by a certain time, which happens in sporting teams all the time.
“It’s part of looking at your strengths, looking at your weaknesses and trying to get better. Four players didn’t provide the information that the coach wanted.
“At that stage there had been so many things building up and the line in the sand was, ‘OK, we’re not going to take it anymore.’
“The coach decided to drop four players. I was captain, and very much accountable when you’re captain of the Australian cricket team. And I backed him to the hilt. I backed the coach and supported the decision.”
Clarke conceded it was a “heavy” penalty and admitted communication to the fans at the time wasn’t where it needed to be.
“Now, was it heavy? 100 per cent. Could we afford to drop four players with the team we had? No. No way. We weren’t in that position,” he said.
“So, if I had time again, I probably would be speaking to the coach and certainly communicating it better to the fans, the public, even the players, to hopefully not get in that situation.
“But yes, four players were dropped for not completing what the coach wanted, but it wasn’t like we went to school and the principal slapped you on the wrist because you didn’t do your homework.”