6 shocking revelations by Michael Clarke ahead of his autobiography release

Clarke clarified and opened up on few incidents such as confronting fiery Simon Katich, feud with Cricket Australia (CA), comments over former teammate Shane Watson, break up with ex-fiancee Lara Bingle, etc.

Michael Clarke’s cricketing career has been full of controversies Getty Images

Former Australian captain Michael Clarke has made the headlines by revealing some interesting facts of controversial incidents which involved him as a player. In an interview with Channel 9’s 60 Minutes program on Sunday night, Clarke clarified and opened up on few incidents such as confronting fiery Simon Katich, feud with Cricket Australia (CA), comments over former teammate Shane Watson, break up with ex-fiancee Lara Bingle, etc. In the interview, Clarke also opened up on his role as both vice-captain and captain of Australia. With such stories coming up, we present a compilation of revelations made by the 35-year-old in the interview.

1. Locker room incident with Simon Katich

Simon Katich and Michael Clarke together during third Test between Australia and England on August 27, 2005 Getty Images

This incident happened after the completion of third Test between Australia and South Africa at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in January 2009. Being the leader of his troops, Clarke wanted the team song to be sung early for him to attend a function. But according to Katich, Clarke wanted to leave early to meet his then fiancee Bingle. Katich made this judgement in 2015 while speaking to ABC’s Grandstand radio platform. Since the team song was a special occasion which deserves not to be rushed and because of Clarke trying to hurry up the process, it led to Katich grabbing his younger teammate by throat. Clarke has now opened up on this topic and he began the conversation by accepting his share of blame and said, I think a lot of us were getting wound up. So I think I had every reason to be pissed off. But I don t think my language was appropriate to Kato.

After that incident, Clarke was appointed captain of Australian side in late 2009 and Katich believes that this led to his exclusion from the side. “You don’t have to be Einstein to figure out that it’s not just the selectors that had a part in sending me on my way,” Katich claimed in 2011.

2. Not aware of Matthew Hayden’s retirement

Matthew Hayden celebrates scoring his century against India as teammate Michael Clarke looks on during first Test on 26 December 2007 AFP

The above mentioned Test against South Africa proved to be the final match for Hayden who wanted to savour his memories at SCG but was disappointed and taken aback by Clarke-Katich spat. Michael Hussey was particularly keen to stay in the dressing room; Matty Hayden was sitting down there in what turned out to be his last Test match. He wanted to savour the moment in those SCG dressing rooms,” confessed Clarke.

The match ended on January 7, 2009 and Clarke got to know about Hayden’s retirement four days later after the match. Hayden officially announced his retirement on January 13, 2009. It turned out, I found out four days later, that Matthew Hayden was going to retire after that Test match, Clarke told 60 Minutes, So I think Haydos was pissed off as well that that happened in his last Test.

After retirement, Hayden was member of CA board and director between 2009 and 2011. In 2013, Hayden said that he raised concerns over Clarke not being a strong leader for Australian side. “If there is one element in my time that has lost its way it’s the development of a leadership culture. The fact that Michael Clarke was promoted at 21 to be the next captain was a mistake. Whilst I think he is now a natural choice as captain, I think it needed a lot more behind-the-scenes support and resources into developing a really strong, vibrant community of leaders,” Hayden was quoted by The Age.

3. Issues with Shane Watson

Michael Clarke and Shane Watson talk before play during fourth Test between England and Australia at Trent Bridge on August 8, 2015 Getty Images

Reportedly, during the 2013 Ashes tour, former Australian coach Mickey Arthur claimed that Clarke had described Watson as ‘a cancer on the team’ during their shambolic tour to India in 2013. During that India tour, Watson was among those four players who was in news for the infamous ‘Homework’ saga. Clarke replied on this issue during the interview by saying, I said that there are a number of players, a group in this team at the moment, that are like a tumour and if we don t fix it, it s going to turn into a cancer. Shane was one of those players, yes.

4. Not that much silly to flush $200,000 five-carat diamond

Michael Clarke and Lara Bingle pose for a photograph on October 29, 2009 Getty Images

The most sarcastic part of the interview came when Clarke was questioned over the rumours that he flushed the engagement ring down the toilet. “I d like to say I m a very silly man. But I m not that silly,’ he admitted in the video, adding: ‘I m not throwing any diamond ring down a toilet,” Clarke added.

He also revealed how he hid his ring from media and said, “There were cameras 24/7 so I ended up hiding in the boot of a mate’s car.”

5. Feud with Cricket Australia: Clarke further spoke about his issues with CA before the death of his friend Phillip Hughes and quipped, Two weeks earlier they wouldn t pick me in the Test match when I was fitter than what I was come the Adelaide Test. A week and a half on I lose my best mate and they beg me to play in that Test match. So I was burning inside because of that.

6. Captaincy

Michael Clarke leaves the field after being dismissed during fifth Test between England and Australia on August 20, 2015 Getty Images

Well, he ended the interview by talking about his vice-captaincy and captaincy days. I don t think I was a good vice-captain at all, said Clarke.

Clarke then added few more things related to his captaincy in a diplomatic fashion by saying, As soon as I was given vice-captaincy, I think the perception was I was automatically the next captain and that built. I think he (Ponting) feels that I let him down. I think if I performed well, I was happy. If I performed badly, I was shattered. Not at all. I never dreamt of captaining Australia. I couldn t care less if I captained Australia early on. It made no difference. I was really happy with where I was; I had my own goals.

(Abhishek Kumar is a cricket devotee currently staffing with Criclife.com. He can be followed at abhicricket.kumar and @abhik2593)