Cricket Scandals: How a Simple Homework Oversight Led to Bans for Four Aussie Stars

But there was one strange incident where four Australian players were banned from a game for not doing their homework. Yes, a small homework led to Shane Watson, James Pattinson, Mitchell Johnson, and Usman Khawaja serving a suspension. This unfolded as one of the infamous scandals in the history of cricket, as we explore more about the incident in this blog.

The Background — Australian Cricket in Crisis

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy has been known for Australia’s dominance over India, as the team was able to beat India at their home ground on various occasions. However, in the 2013 series, something unexpected took place when Australia went on a tour of India for a four-match Test series.

This was notably a challenging period for the team, as it was going through a transition phase. The first Test was being played at Mohali, and India started the series with an impressive 8-wicket win. Their skipper, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, smashed a double century in this game, while the bowlers were able to restrict Australia to a low total. Thus, India ended up chasing the target of 50 runs with ease to start the series with a win.

Australia was expected to mark its comeback in the second Test, which was being played at Hyderabad. The team started off with 237/9 in the first innings, to which India responded with a dominant score of 503. This had already given a massive lead to India, and Australia ended up scoring just 131 runs in their second innings. In the end, India also won the second game by an innings and 135 runs, handing a humiliating loss to the Australian side.

After losing the first two Tests with heavy margins, the team had already lost its spirit and hopes for the remaining games. Mickey Arthur, who was the Head Coach of the Australian team at that time, also felt the pressure of such humiliating defeats against India. Being the coach of the team, it was his responsibility to come up with a solution for the players.

The Homework Order

When the Australian team lost the second Test match, Mickey Arthur came up with a plan to ensure that the players were able to assess themselves. He decided that the players should reflect on themselves, check the ways in which they could be better, and help the team to mark its comeback in the third Test.

Thus, on the evening of their second Test loss against India, Mickey Arthur said to the team:

Within three days, each player had to submit, either in writing or verbally, three ideas on how they, individually and as a team, could improve performance for the remaining two Tests.

With this assignment, it was clear that Mickey wanted the players to assess themselves and know the places where they lack, due to which the team is suffering. He also informed them that they would have to submit it within three days, and can submit it to him via email, text message, or even with a note being handed to him.

It was not some sort of academic essay for the players, but a chance to check their flaws and prepare themselves well for the next game. But players like Watson, Pattinson, Johnson, and Khawaja ended up submitting nothing even after the deadline given by the Head Coach had passed.

The Punishment

Mickey Arthur saw all the players submitting the assignment and just four players being left out, so he decided to give a punishment to them. Therefore, all four players were ultimately not selected by the team for the third Test match against India in Mohali. Along with that, they were also banned from participating in the main practice sessions for the team for the same reason.

To the suspension of players from the third Test, Mickey Arthur later also gave an explanation. He said that it was not just about missing a single task, but it was about the repeated breaches of team discipline and culture. Adding to this, he also said that some stars of the Australian line-up were coming late for the team meetings, dressing inappropriately for the sessions, and showcasing a lack of commitment. Arthur also termed the homework as the “last straw”.

The Reaction — Shock, Outrage, and Laughter

The news of four players, Shane Watson, James Pattinson, Mitchell Johnson, and Usman Khawaja being banned from the line-up broke the internet on March 11, 2013. At this time, the internet was divided on its opinions on the matter. Some fans thought that it was a great disciplinary measure and a wake-up call for such stars. On the other hand, a few of them also thought that it was a petty reason for a schoolyard-type punishment.

Shane Warne, a former Australian player, also criticised the actions taken by Mickey Arthur, as he called it unnecessary drama by the team management and coach. Warne said that the team should focus on winning the games, not the drama. On the other hand, Allan Border backed the approach of Arthur, saying that discipline and commitment are an essential part of cricket.

Shane Watson’s Exit (and Return)

Out of the four players who were suspended from the team for the third Test, one of them was Shane Watson, one of the finest all-rounders for the Australian cricket team. When he got to know about his suspension for the third Test, he immediately flew back to Australia, as his first child’s birth was colliding with the events taking place in the team’s camp.

Watson also revealed that he was hurt and disappointed with the decision taken by the team management. Later, he also gave some hints about having strained relations with the team’s skipper, Michael Clarke, and coach, Mickey Arthur. Adding a plot twist to the story, Shane Watson returned for the 4th Test, replacing injured Clarke, and even led the team in the final game.

The Third Test

In the third Test, the Australian team played with various changes, as some of the players who played the second Test were banned from the third Test by the team. Australia had a great start in its first innings, as it scored 408 runs. But India responded pretty well, scoring 499 runs, with the centuries of Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan.

Australia already started with a trail of 91 runs, as the Indian bowlers troubled them to bowl the team out for 223. Chasing the target of 133 runs, the Indian team was able to do it with ease, having 6 wickets in hand. With this loss, Australia also lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2013, as some fans call the missing out of experienced players the main cause.

Aftermath and Fallout

Taking a look at the homeworkgate scandal, Mickey Arthur was sacked from the position of Head Coach within the next few months. Although Shane Watson played for the team as usual, he had already gotten his name as a centre of attraction for the homework saga. Darren Lehmann was announced as the new Head Coach of the team ahead of the Ashes series. Under Lehmann, the team had regained its relaxed environment, like it was before, till the sandpapergate scandal took place.