Four Australian players ruled out of third India test.
Australian vice-captain Shane Watson and teammates James Pattinson, Usman Khawaja and Mitchell Johnson have all been ruled out of the third Test against India in Mohali for disciplinary reasons.
Australian coach Mickey Arthur has announced that the four cricketers named have been stood down for one Test for failing to complete a personal review presentation, reports Fox Sports.
The quartet have been stood down for failing to complete a compulsory performance review of the team’s culture and expectations and the improvements needed to be made for the third Test starting Thursday.
Coach Arthur said the players were ‘gutted’ but that the action taken was necessary for the team and the decision was a “line in the sand” for Australian cricket.
For a team already struggling they will now be without their leading wicket-taker Pattinson and one of their better performing batsmen in vice-captain Watson.
Former Australian captain Allan Border was surprised by the actions taken by Cricket Australia and labelled the ruling an over-reaction by the management group.
“I’m surprised that’s the penalty for something so mundane. It seems like it was on a schoolboy tour or something. It’s an over the top reaction,” said Border.
Another former Australian cricket great, Mark Waugh, was also surprised by the decision and believes that there must be a better way to resolve the issue.
“I’m stunned,” said former Test player Mark Waugh. “I just want to know what would have happened if eight of the guys hadn’t filled in the form, we wouldn’t have a team for the game.
“I’ve never heard of this sort of thing before at top level in any sport.”
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