Michael Clarke will miss the first Test against India as Cricket Australia mull over how to mend his hamstring and frayed relationships.
CA is understood to be incredibly disappointed with the captain and his communication breakdown with selectors, which bubbled to the surface amid confusion and contradiction on Monday.
Clarke is yet to be officially ruled out of the opening Test at the Gabba, but confirmation is expected on Tuesday afternoon.
CA chief executive James Sutherland told Fairfax Media on Tuesday he would seek answers from Clarke as to why he and CA had such contrasting views on the state of play.
“I will speak to Michael and others who have been involved in the process to make sure I understand where these things have gone awry,” Sutherland said.
“It’s not really appropriate for me to go into any more detail.
“All I can say is I am concerned that there are some mixed messages coming out of Cricket Australia in the last 24 hours or so.
“I want to understand why things have fallen off the rails a bit there.”
The hamstrung skipper was told he needed to play a two-day tour game against India in Adelaide starting on Friday to prove he was ready for five days of Test cricket.
That in itself was somewhat of a compromise, with this week’s Sheffield Shield clash rated a more suitable fitness test given Clarke has suffered three hamstring setbacks since August.
Clarke, having been named in a 12-man squad on Monday morning, seemingly confirmed in the afternoon he would not play at Adelaide Oval.
“I’ve been pulled out of, or passed unfit to play the game in Adelaide. The medical team in the Australian cricket team have ruled me out of that game,” Clarke said.
But the 33-year-old was determined to play for club side Western Suburbs on Saturday, saying he could prove then that he’s ready for the Gabba.
“Hopefully I can make myself available, then it is completely up to the selectors to work out what to do,” he added.
Incredulous CA figures were shocked by Clarke’s words at a sponsor’s event in Sydney.
They had already been blindsided by Western Suburbs’ declaration at 0-17 last Saturday, made to give Clarke a chance of batting on day two.
“A final decision on his fitness has not yet been determined and he has not yet been ruled out of the tour match by the CA medical team,” CA said in a statement released on Monday night.
“Should Michael play the tour match and recover well, the selectors have said he will take his place in the Test side.
“If he is not able to get up for the CA XI game, and given his history with this recurring injury, he will be ruled out of any cricket this week and the first Test.
“Our focus will shift to getting him fit to play the second Test in Adelaide.”
