Watson set to captain, Clarke rests

Friday, 22 March 2013 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Shane Watson’s big moment is expected to arrive on Friday with the 31-year-old set to be named Australia’s 44th Test captain.

Skipper Michael Clarke was unable to train at Delhi’s Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium on Thursday because of a back injury, leaving his former bad-boy deputy Watson set to take over in the dead-rubber fourth Test against India.

Only last week Watson was in the sin bin, banned for a match for failing to deliver a homework assignment on time.

What followed was a chaotic week - Watson returning to Australia to attend the birth of his first child, a spat with Cricket Australia high performance manager Pat Howard and a return to India where he’d be available for selection in the final Test of the troubled tour.

With Clarke likely out of action and Watson and Howard saying they are now on the same page, the return of the prodigal son looks complete with the captaincy all but assured.

Three of the four players stood aside for selection in the third Test over the `homeworkgate’ affair now appear set to start in the fourth match - Watson, in-form quick James Pattinson and possibly Mitchell Johnson.

A total of five changes could be on the cards as Australia try to avoid a 4-0 series whitewash.

Spinner Xavier Doherty, wicketkeeper Brad Haddin and allrounder Moises Henriques are under pressure while paceman Mitchell Starc has been sent home for ankle surgery.

Apart from Watson, Johnson and Pattinson, offspinner Glenn Maxwell is pushing hard for a recall while wicketkeeper Matthew Wade is likely to play after recovering from an ankle injury.

Clarke hardly seemed confident of starting when spoken to before training began.

“The team is training this afternoon so I’ll head down with the team and try to do as much as I can,” he told reporters earlier on Thursday.

“At this stage there is still doubt of me pulling up fit enough to play tomorrow.”

With an Ashes series in July, Cricket Australia will be anxiously monitoring the 31-year-old Clarke’s participation in the lucrative Twenty20 tournament.

Clarke’s Pune Warriors play their opening IPL match on April 3, just eight days after Australia’s four-Test series against India ends on March 26.