Published: Oct 18, 2014, 06:11 AM (IST)
Edited: Oct 20, 2014, 02:21 PM (IST)
Since his dream debut in Bangalore in 2004 against India where he notched up 151, Michael Clarke has been a vital part of the Australian line-up. In the series against Pakistan in UAE how the Australian captain fares will go a long way in influencing the series says Indrajit Dutta
It was Michael Clarke’s heroic 161 that propelled Australia to victory over South Africa in the 3rd Test of the three match series in March of 2014. Ultimately the Aussies came out victorious in a very hard-fought Test which also gave them their first series victory against the Proteas since 2009.
If the Aussies are to beat Pakistan in the two –match Test series then skipper Michael Clarke will have to come good. The last time Australia played in the subcontinent they were hammered four nil against India. Their weaknesses against spin were cruelly exposed as a young and inexperienced side crumbled to a humiliating defeat. Even amidst the ruins it was Clarke who stood out with a superb 130 in the first Test at Chennai and a 91 in the second game at Hyderabad.
In similar conditions in the United Arab Emirates against Pakistan if Australia are to do well it is imperative that their skipper strikes it rich. In India, Clarke led from the front but his team fared miserably.
Clarke has a decent record against Pakistan as he averages a shade under 40 with a highest of 166. Ever since his debut in India he has shown that even in conditions alien to him Clarke can produce that display of excellence. The 151 that he made on debut at Bangalore against the likes of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh showed he had the ability to thrive in tough conditions. In scoring a debut Clarke joined a club that has the likes of Greg Chappell and Mark Waugh.
Pakistan appears uncertain about itself and without Saeed Ajmal the going willl be very hard for them. To discount Pakistan, however, would be a huge mistake. It was in 2012 they humliated the then number one side England three nil in UAE.
Clarke’s side is not heavy on experience. Apart from opener David Warner , Shane Watson and Brad Haddin most of the batsman have not played a decent amount of Test cricket. Players such as Philip Hughes and Steve Smith have played in India, however, they are to prove themselves in spinning conditions. For someone like Alex Doolan playing insubcontinent like conditions will be a new experience altogether.
A lot will depend on Clarke. He did not have a great Ashes series with only a solitary hundred to his name in the five test series—148 at Adelaide in the second Test. The bad news for Pakistan is that he looked as if he was back to his best during his gutsy 161 against Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel. In one spell Morkel peppered him with a flurry of short balls that struck him onthe body repeatedly. Clarke, however, stuck and played one of the greatest knocks of his career. It was later revealed that he had batted with a fractured shoulder.
Over the years it is under pressure that Clarke has often thrived. The 187 in the third Test at Old Trafford in the 2013 Ashes when Australia were under the cosh is a case in point. His 329 against India was of course made in an entirely different situation when his team was in the ascendancy. Another knock of his that shows that is one of the best when it comes to handling pressure is the 168 against New Zealand at Wellington in 2010. He made this hundred after he had allegedly experienced some grave trouble in his personal life which led to intense media scrutiny. Clearly Clarke has shown himself to be more than adept at handling pressure.
In the UAE there will be periods when his side will face a similar test to what they did in India. Here Clarke has to guide his team very well and ensure that the India experience does not have any hold over his team. In India in 2013 he fared very well, he would be hoping for a repeat of that against Pakistan in the UAE.
Complete coverage of Pakistan and Australia in UAE here
(Indrajit Dutta is a reporter with CricketCountry. He is also a published poet and author. His Twitter handle is @duttaindro)
