Michael Clarke : Without T20 cricket, we might not have seen David Warner or Hardik Pandya
Michael Clarke disagrees with the fact that shortest format of the game has adversely affected Test cricket stating that players like David Warner and Hardik Pandya have emerged as a result of T20 cricket. Clarke, moreover, is still optimistic about Australia's chances of winning the series.
"What is happening is a lot of senior players are opting out of the longer format at the back end of their careers. AB de Villiers has played over 100 Tests, JP Duminy too has been around for a while. I haven’t heard of a junior player who doesn’t want to play Test cricket. I think the shorter formats, including the T20 franchise leagues, have contributed enormously to the growth of the game. Without T20 cricket, we might not have seen a David Warner or a Hardik Pandya,” Clarke said in an interview with Cricbuzz.
When asked whether the modern trend of players getting picked up for T20s and playing Test and ODI cricket later is a feasible mode, Clarke claimed that he could not fault the system.
"I see nothing wrong with that. It sure is another option. My numbers in first-class cricket were not great, but I did well in the shorter format which earned me Test selection. To me, it doesn’t matter how you get there. What matters is whether you are ready when you are there and perform.”
Before the series, Clarke had predicted a 3-2 win for the visitors and when asked for his predition after the Chennai loss, he refused to change his stance.
"I think Australia can still win the series, but for that, they need to find a way to win in Kolkata. The conditions here should suit them and they need to make it count,” he concluded.
