Michael Clarke will lead his predecessor Ricky Ponting and a little-changed touring party to Bangladesh for three limited overs matches after being officially named Australia's new captain on Wednesday. Clarke will captain Australia in Tests and ODIs, while Cameron White continues as national Twenty20 captain. There was no shock at the sight of Clarke suited up at the SCG for the announcement, taking on the mantle that he has waited patiently for over a long term as vice-captain.
"It is a great honour to be appointed captain of Australia but at the same time a great surprise as I wasn't expecting Ricky Ponting to stand down," Clarke said. "I have always respected those who have come before me in this role and humbled to think of my name being mentioned alongside theirs."It did not take long for the matter of Clarke's reputation to be raised, given another raft of public polls that confirmed he was far from the public's stand-out choice as leader.
"I don't know exactly why it's there, but it is and it has most likely been there over the whole of my career," he said. "Hopefully I can earn the respect of the doubters who are out there. No doubt it's about how I conduct myself on and off the field, I need to continue to be true to myself, and people are permitted to their own opinion but it is significant I do everything in the interests of the team, and try to do everything I can to be the best captain I can possibly be.
"I don't sit here and believe I can get the whole of this country to like me, people are always going to have their own views, but for me it's about respect, it's about earning that respect, leading the team in the right way, playing cricket in the right manner."Shane Watson will be the new vice-captain under Clarke. Xavier Doherty has replaced Jason Krejza as the lead spinner in the squad, while James Pattinson has been recalled in place of the retired Shaun Tait. David Hussey is unable to tour due to the coming up birth of his first child.
Squad: Michael Clarke (capt), Shane Watson, Brad Haddin (wk), Ricky Ponting, Cameron White, Mike Hussey, Callum Ferguson, Tim Paine (wk), Steve Smith, Mitchell Johnson, John Hastings, Brett Lee, Xavier Doherty, James Pattinson.
"It is a great honour to be appointed captain of Australia but at the same time a great surprise as I wasn't expecting Ricky Ponting to stand down," Clarke said. "I have always respected those who have come before me in this role and humbled to think of my name being mentioned alongside theirs."It did not take long for the matter of Clarke's reputation to be raised, given another raft of public polls that confirmed he was far from the public's stand-out choice as leader.
"I don't know exactly why it's there, but it is and it has most likely been there over the whole of my career," he said. "Hopefully I can earn the respect of the doubters who are out there. No doubt it's about how I conduct myself on and off the field, I need to continue to be true to myself, and people are permitted to their own opinion but it is significant I do everything in the interests of the team, and try to do everything I can to be the best captain I can possibly be.
"I don't sit here and believe I can get the whole of this country to like me, people are always going to have their own views, but for me it's about respect, it's about earning that respect, leading the team in the right way, playing cricket in the right manner."Shane Watson will be the new vice-captain under Clarke. Xavier Doherty has replaced Jason Krejza as the lead spinner in the squad, while James Pattinson has been recalled in place of the retired Shaun Tait. David Hussey is unable to tour due to the coming up birth of his first child.
Squad: Michael Clarke (capt), Shane Watson, Brad Haddin (wk), Ricky Ponting, Cameron White, Mike Hussey, Callum Ferguson, Tim Paine (wk), Steve Smith, Mitchell Johnson, John Hastings, Brett Lee, Xavier Doherty, James Pattinson.
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