Michael Clarke
Australian captain Michael Clarke can bat in the top four against any side, but in Indian conditions he may be best suited to the vital No.3 slot, coach Mickey Arthur says.
As selectors ponder changes for the third Test against India, beginning on March 14 at Mohali, Clarke has confirmed that he'll move from No.5 into the top four.
Coach and selector Arthur says Clarke's sparkling footwork and skills against spin bowling on India's low-playing pitches mean there's no point waiting around until two wickets fall.
Clarke is Australia's leading batsman in the series with scores of 130, 31, 91 and 16.
However, his lack of support in the first innings of the second Test - getting out for 91 going for a slog with eight wickets already down - convinced Arthur that he must go up the order.
The argument against the move had been Clarke's performance in 2012 as the lead scorer from any nation in Tests for the calendar year
But with Australia's top four of David Warner, Ed Cowan, Phil Hughes and Shane Watson all averaging under 30 in the first two lost Tests against India, something had to be done.
"The biggest concern is the inability of the top order to get a big first-innings score," Arthur said yesterday.
Arthur says the retirement of reliable No.6 batsman Mike Hussey in January made it more difficult for the skipper to build a long innings at No.5 because he lacked support.
"He (Clarke) likes batting five," Arthur said.
"He's got a great record batting at five but when it starts impacting on our first innings and he starts running out of partners, then we thought it was time for us to have a look at it.
"Michael has got to get up the order, and I am pretty sure he will for the next Test match.
"I don't mind if he bats three in the subcontinent. I would like Michael four in conditions outside of the subcontinent."
Arthur slammed his side's cross- bat shots, including the sweeps that led to the wickets of Warner and Hughes in the second innings.