Australian cricket team culture eroded under Michael Clarke, it’s time to fix it

IN an exclusive column, Andrew Symonds has his say on Michael Clarke, the “soft culture” that is developing in Australian cricket and the game’s lack of characters.

The relationship between Andrew Symonds and Michael Clarke is a thing of the past.

IT’S a shame Michael Clarke and I fell out, but I don’t lose any sleep over it. With what’s happened, between then and now, I’m not even interested in talking to him.

I’ve read snippets from his book and I’ve written two books myself, and what I will say is every story I wrote about another player I made sure they read it before I put it to print.

Some of the stories he’s telling just aren’t accurate.

In his book he says I aspired to be Australian captain. I remember saying as a throwaway line that if Punter was injured or rested, Adam Gilchrist was being rested and Matthew Hayden was injured, then “I could captain the team for a couple of games until they get themselves right”.

The relationship between Andrew Symonds and Michael Clarke is a thing of the past.

That was it. Ricky was the captain of the Australian cricket team and that was the end of it.

I never wanted to be skipper.

It’s unfortunate Michael hasn’t gone to people first before writing these things or hasn’t been able to because his friendships aren’t strong enough.

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When I look at the Australian cricket team, I just don’t see them as a tight enough unit.

They’re a good enough side to win games, but they don’t seem to have that real “it’s us against them” mentality you need at that level.

I get the feeling talking to people around the country that the cricket has become slightly boring and in many ways the BBL is propping the game up.

The characters have disappeared out of the game and players find it very difficult to speak freely, so people aren’t drawn to the Australian team the way they once were.

Without being in and around the group it’s very hard to pass judgment on team culture and I hope I’m wrong.

But from the outside looking in it seems like they’re missing that special bond and that inherent trust and understanding in the blokes and system around them.

I really thought with Steve Smith taking over the captaincy from Michael Clarke, it would have been the perfect time to get back to that sort of thing and for the team to build their own way again.

Andrew Symonds and Ricky Ponting were a formidable combination.

As a batsman, I had a bond when I batted with Mike Hussey where I just knew when he wanted to run. I’d just look at Ricky Ponting sometimes and he’d run and I’d know instantly to respond.

The team changes a lot now with the three forms of the game and you don’t have that group of six or eight players who are there constantly.

Players are frequently in and out of the team and the way the game is run now, blokes are getting held back for these little reasons that leave people scratching their heads. Player rotations and resting is breeding a soft culture and devaluing the national cap.

In rugby league, a State of Origin representative will play a very fast and physical game for his state on a Wednesday night then back up two nights later and play for his club.

I think it’s hard for kids especially to identify with the Australian team with the constant changes and it must also be difficult for the players when all you want to do is get out there and play the game you love.

When you don’t play with someone very often you just don’t have that same level of understanding.

Those bonds might be small but they’re so crucial to being a formidable team.

The Australian side had those bonds for so many years I guess you take it for granted until it’s actually missing, and then you go “we’ve got to start from scratch again here”. It’s one of those things as a player you may not realise until you retire.

I thought the captaincy change was a real opportunity for the team to get really tight, galvanised again. There was a lot of disappointment when Smith left the team in Sri Lanka recently — it just wasn’t the right time but it was out of his hands and it sent the wrong message to everyone that supports the team.

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Cricket now needs to make the players more human again. Why not?

Cricket Australia always says they want to be approachable and transparent, but they’re not. Let’s be honest, the Australian way is that people like to be entertained by personalities and characters.

The Merv Hughes types have disappeared and now any time a player gets asked a question about umpires or selection they’re gagged or get fined or suspended if they speak their mind.

They’re losing people.

Andrew Symonds wonders where the characters like Merv Hughes have gone.

I’m so excited to be back in the game calling the Big Bash League on Network Ten this summer and I look forward to just being around the game again with my old mates.

I can’t see Ten employing me and wanting to choke my personality so I’ll be throwing a bit of fun in there and trying to explain the game through my own experiences to make the game easier to listen to and understand for the viewer.

I’ve got really good friendships and had a lot of success with Punter, Gilly, Mark Waugh and Damien Fleming and I feel very lucky to be considered to run with those boys in commentary, some of the modern-day greats.

Originally published as Australian cricket team culture eroded under Michael Clarke, it’s time to fix it