Australia takes tough action against rebel players

Micky Arthur and Shane Watson

Shane Watson, James Pattinson, Mitchell Johnson and Usman Khawaja are reportedly axed for third Test match at Mohali beginning on the March 14.

Despite being trailing 2-0 in the Test series against India, Australia cracked the whip as they made it loud and clear that four players, including the vice-captain Shane Watson and young James Pattinson, would be ineligible for selection for the third Test due to disciplinary reasons.

This incident occurred because Watson, Pattison, Mitchell Johnson and Khawaja failed to comply with team orders. It is reported that they were told to make a presentation by Coach Mickey Arthur on the recent defeats and their personal assessment about team culture, which they failed to do.

The entire squad of 16 was asked to complete a personal review of the team’s culture and the improvements needed to be made for the next Test match.

Arthur said Watson, Pattinson, Khawaja and Johnson were the ones who failed to submit analysis, forcing team management to immediately ban the group for the Test in Mohali.

Arthur further added it was the toughest day of his coaching career, but this step was necessary in order to achieve his goal of making Australia the No. 1 Test side in world cricket again and added all the four were “gutted”.

While the quartet will be considered for the final Test in Delhi, Arthur told the judgment was a “line in the sand” for Australian cricket.

Arthur said: “We pride ourselves on attitude, we have given the players a huge amount of latitude to get culture and attitude right, We believe that those behaviours(of the four players) are not consistent with what we want to do with this team.”