Australia captain Michael Clarke says his team’s 4-0 series sweep of India has sent a message to the superpowers of world cricket.
“We’ve shown a lot of people around the world that we’re on the way up,” Clarke said after Australia claimed a 298-run win in the fourth Test on Saturday.
Chasing a world-record target of 500, India resumed on 6-166 and were bowled out for 201 in 58 minutes of play on day five at Adelaide Oval.
The home side’s victory came after spinner Nathan Lyon claimed his best figures of the series, 4-63, in India’s second innings.
“We’re getting better every day,” Clarke added.
India slipped from second to third on the ICC rankings on 111.10 points while Australia narrowly remain fourth on 110.80, trailing England (125) and South Africa (117).
Australia can climb to third with victory in the Test series in the West Indies in April.
Clarke and ex-skipper Ricky Ponting made double centuries in Australia’s first innings of 7-604 declared but paceman Peter Siddle won the man-of-the-match award.
Siddle claimed 5-49 in India’s first innings of 272 on a lifeless pitch and had figures of 6-96 for the game, with 23 wickets at 18.65 in the series.
Clarke was in career-best form, hitting 626 runs at 125.20, including a triple hundred and a double ton to win the player-of-the-series award.
“The disappointment of last summer has inspired a few of us. There’s been a bit of fire in the belly,” Clarke said of Australia’s 2010/11 Ashes defeat.
Clarke averaged only 21.44 last summer. Having taken over in 2011 as skipper, Clarke has had mixed results with drawn series in South Africa and against lowly New Zealand.
“It’s a very special feeling to sit here beating India 4-0 knowing that last summer I couldn’t buy a run,” Clarke said.
“The loss in South Africa and the loss against New Zealand is something that every player in that change room has had in the front of their minds.
“You need to go through a few tough times individually and as a team to realise how hard it is in Test cricket but then how special it is when you have days like today.
“There’s a long way to go before we have to play England (in 2013).
“Right now I’m just enjoying this success against India.
“It was a big series for me for the main reason that I didn’t perform last summer.”
The return of opener Shane Watson from hamstring and calf injuries for the West Indies tour could come directly at the expense of struggling No.3 Shaun Marsh.
When a reporter suggested to Clarke that Watson needed to bat at No.3, as David Warner and Ed Cowan had established themselves as an opening pair, Clarke replied: “Does he?
“Shane is the vice-captain of the team so I’m pretty sure when he’s fit he’ll come back into the team. When ‘Watto’ will be fit, we really don’t know,” Clarke added.
“I do see (Marsh) as a big part of the Australian team in all three formats but he certainly needs to keep making runs.”
