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Why is there any conjecture over David Warner’s credentials to captain the Australian ODI side in Michael Clarke’s absence?
Clarke has a hamstring injury that will keep him out of the Sri Lanka game at the SCG on Friday, and with Shane Watson still on the injured list, Warner is the current vice-captain.
Automatic promotion.
Warner has proved his standing as captain of the Chairman’s X1 against India in Canberra, and the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League . And he was tactically on the ball with flair.
He should have captained the Australian Twenty20 side in the two games against India.
But the nay-sayers are in full flight.
A return to Ricky Ponting, or either of the Hussey brothers – Mike and David – are high on their agenda.
Recalling Ponting would be a negative move ignoring the future. He skippered the side from 2003 to 2011 with outstanding success, but he was the one who pulled the coat on the captaincy, and that’s where it should sit.
Mike Hussey is still a class act, still in form, and owns a sharp cricket brain. But he’s an even more reluctant captain than Allan Border was when he first took over from Kim Hughes.
Hussey led the Australians into the three-game ODI series in New Zealand in February 2007 when selectors rested Ponting and Adam Gilchrist, Michael Clarke had a hip injury, and Brett Lee an ankle problem.
Destiny wasn’t kind. Hussey became the first Australian captain to lose the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy. Worse still, in a whitewash.
“It was a demoralising experience,” ventured Hussey.
The Kiwis won the first ODI by 10 wickets in Wellington, the second by 5 wickets in Auckland, and completed the rout by 1 wicket in the third at Hamilton with three deliveries to spare.
Hussey copped the backlash of the New Zealander’s anger at Ponting and Gilchrist being “rested,” the first rotation exercise that blew up in the selector’s face?
For the record, Hussey’s team on that tour was Matt Hayden, Phil Jaques, Shane Watson, Brad Haddin, Brad Hodge, Adam Voges, Cameron White, Brad Hogg, Nathan Bracken, Shaun Tait, Mitchell Johnson, and Glenn McGrath.
As for David Hussey’s credentials to lead the side, he has the same sharp cricket brain as his older brother. But if the selector’s had him in mind, with his 42 ODIs against Warner’s 13, Hussey would be vice-captain now on the experience factor.
But he’s not, and that leaves David Warner exactly where he should be: ready to take the reins come Friday, and again on Sunday at the Gabba if Michael Clarke needs more time to recover.