Lanka tour is make or break for Australian cricket: Nielsen

Brisbane (ANI): Australian cricket team coach Tim Nielsen is of the view that the forthcoming tour of Sri Lanka is a make or break for the squad led by Michael Clarke.

He believes that the two Twenty20s, five one-day internationals and three Tests will provide Clarke with his first real challenge as captain.

“The most important thing is it gives us the opportunity to get our cricket, especially publicly, heading back in the right direction. Usually you’re judged by the things that have happened in the last little while and our results obviously weren’t exactly as we would have liked in the last little while,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Nielsen, as saying.

“This Sri Lankan tour gives us a chance to get our form back in the competitive environment and get back to the winners’ circle,” he added.

“Michael’s very clear on how he feels the team should be playing and the things he feels are important for the team to be playing that way. We’ve got some new staff around the place, a new captain, a new vice-captain so all of those things lead to a different voice and a different idea. It’s been really positive so far, I’ve really enjoyed working with those guys,” Nielsen added.

“We’re hopeful the new cricketers we’ve got in the team and the different direction we’re taking will lead us back to the levels we want to be playing at and the standing we want in world cricket,” the Australian coach said.

Nielsen also said that he was confident Ponting’s experience and professionalism would ensure there was no undermining of Clarke’s status as the team’s leader.

“It’s a challenge for all of us to understand that Ricky’s still on the group, that Michael’s now the captain and I can’t see any issues at all as long as we’re all communicating well and talking openly and honestly with each other,” Nielsen said.