Clarke Defends Australia's Rotation Policy

Clarke Defends Australia's Rotation Policy

Clarke: "My goal with this team is try and win every single game of cricket we play, but I do believe you can only take your best eleven players. If somebody isn't 100% fit to play their role then they don't make that best eleven. No matter what their name is or reputation, our team now is different to 10 years ago."

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Australia captain Michael Clarke has launched a staunch defence of the rotation policy that has come in for some criticism during the opening two matches of the One-Day International series against Sri Lanka.

Labelled a 'B-team' by some, a team missing a host of key players won convincinginly in Melbourne but was then soundly beaten in Adelaide.

Clarke, who, along with Matthew Wade and David Warner, was recalled for Friday's third game in Brisbane, emphasised that the changing game is part of the reason why team selection is no simple task.

"I think the public wants to see the best possible Australian team on the field every game, and honestly I think were trying to do that," he said.

"I think the risk of playing someone when they're not 100% fit, if they do get injured can put them out for six weeks or months. The issue with where the Australian team is now compared to where it was is 10 years ago you had four, five, six, seven great players in one team so if they're 80 percent fit that is still good enough to win a game. 

"Where we sit now as a team is it's a lot different to that, if the gap between the eleven players that take the field and the 12th,13th,14th,15th,16th is quite close. So if you're 100% fit to perform at your best it isn't worth the risk for your team, for you to take the field and let the team down." 

Clarke reiterated that every team that represents Australia is trying to win every game but conceded that Test matches are prioritised.

"I think the public also wants to see Australia win games of cricket, no matter which eleven players we put on the field were going to try on every single occasion to get our best eleven onto the park and we hope the public understands that. 

"Every game we play there is no priority game or series, every oppotunity you have to play for Australia that's a big game of cricket. 

"Obviously the pinnacle of international cricket is test cricket, and I think we have over the past 12 months tried to prioritise test cricket above ODI and T20, mainly because we dropped so low on our performance."

Ahead of the match in Brisbane, Clarke has one more injury concern after Moises Henriques was sent for scans on a damaged finger.

"I've just seen the tapped finger, so I don't really know, we'll have the scan and wait and see," Clarke said. "He got hit yesterday when bowling, actually straight drove one back and he got his finger on it. Then batting yesterday he got hit again.

"We'll know a lot more once he's had the x-ray. (We're) hoping the scan comes back clear, as we all are, because he's looking forward to his oppotunity that's for sure.

"If he isn't fit because he has a broken finger then it's down to Cutsy (Ben Cutting) and Maxi (Glenn Maxwell) to play as that all-rounder. 

"The conditions look really good, it looks like a very nice wicket, outfield looks pretty quick as well.  We will have to speak to the selectors once we get more information on Moises."

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