When the Australian team was going through a rebuilding
process in the late 80s, it was since then I became its follower. Allan Border
didn’t have the champions like his contemporary best teams during that time,
but still, he made his men play like genuine match-winners. Allan Border and
Bob Simpson built a strong foundation which proved beneficial for the next
generation of captains like Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting. Border
and Simpson rekindled the lost Australian culture during that transition period
of the 80s which had a long lasting impression among the next generation of
players.
I have been privileged to witness the rise of Australian
cricket at its helm and the Australian cricket culture has always been one of
my favorite subjects. Myself and the world witnessed how the enriched cricket
culture of Australia continued to produce champions after champions who were
both competent technically and temperamentally. Especially, the never say die
attitude and demolishing the opposition in a ruthless manner simply left me
amazed.
I saw your maiden Test hundred in 2004. The way you
dominated Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh conveyed a message to the world about
the rise of a future great who can be Australia's perfect weapon against
quality spin bowling.
I was not surprised by your sky-high confidence and the damn
care attitude while pummeling the spinners by coming down the track. You were a
product of a culture which develops champions and for which such an attitude
was expected. Your 151 helped Australia
to gain the momentum which proved vital in winning the series in India after
almost thirty-five years. Day by day, your stature as a batsman and future
leader started to grow.
In the course of time, the team began to lose their aura of
invincibility and at the start of the last decade, Australia became a soft
target of the opposition teams. It was during that critical period, you were
made the captain and you had an immediate impact by winning the Test series in
Sri Lanka and the journey since then was good if not an absolute purple patch.
Australia did win matches under your captaincy, but that dominating flavor was
always the shadow of the past.
Bad times visited soon. India, South Africa and England
outclassed your team and the year 2013 was a tough one. But, I never lost my
faith in you as I firmly believed that you will make Australia stand on its
feet again and I was proved right as at the fag end of 2013, you and your team
bounced back in style to regain the Ashes and made us realize how tough you can
be. Despite your back problems, you didn’t slow down at all, but dared to lead
the team and the World Cup victory was the icing on the cake in your career.
To win the Ashes in England is the dream of every Australian
skipper and since 2001, none of the visiting Australian teams have been able to
do such. You landed in England with high hopes, but all those hopes transformed
into despair as your team was defeated in a disgraceful manner to lose the urn.
Yes, I was not ready for such a shoddy display from the Australians and above
all, I was not ready to read about the news of your sudden decision to retire
from Test cricket. Frankly speaking, I
can’t support your decision to retire.
Yes, the critics will support your decision by citing
various reasons, but I firmly believe that it was not the ideal time to leave
and still, you have a lot to offer to Australian cricket. I felt like, you have
given up too early and this decision was quite un-Australian. An Australian
captain doesn’t leave the scene in such a manner, but fights back hard to
conquer adversity. You did conquer the toughest times and you know how to
overcome lean patches, then, why not try
again? Was it necessary to take such a decision?
The Ashes defeat has jolted the Australian cricket
fraternity big time and to reorganize the team, your presence was much needed.
Perhaps, Steven Smith will be the next captain, but is he still ready to lead
the team? Your presence would have helped him to develop as a leader, but
sadly, Smith might have to proceed without such a support.
I repeat, Australian cricket still needs you.
With regards
A cricket fan from Bangladesh
Note: This article has been published in Sportskeeda on 09/08/2015 An open letter to Michael Clarke
Thank You
Thank You
Faisal Caesar
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