SHATTERED: WA coach Justin Langer. Picture: Alf Sorbello Source: The Sunday Times
AUSTRALIAN cricketing great Justin Langer has said he is "shattered" over the recent disciplinary action against members of the touring team in India, in particular Shane Watson.
Four players were last night dropped from Third Test availability - James Pattinson, Michael Johnson, Usman Khawaja and Watson - for failing to respond to a peer review of the side's performance in the second Test.
Watson's father said the bewildering move, announced by coach Mickey Arthur, had left the all-rounder uncertain of his future in international cricket and possibly ready to walk away.
Langer expressed his disappointment at the disciplinary action, saying he was "shattered".
"I hate gossip and I'd like to hear it from the horse's mouth - and hopefully I will in the next few days - but if what we're hearing is exactly right, I'm really shattered for the Australian cricket team," Langer told 6PR.
"I came into the West Australian cricket team with this talk of culture and this need to improve culture. Well, I just find that what's happened overnight and now with Watto coming home ... Shane Watson is one of the nicest blokes you'll ever meet in your life, he is a fantastic bloke.
"To see him make a decision like that (returning to Australia), on the back of being left out of the Test match, I just find it really, really disappointing."
Being left out of the side made for an easy decision for Watson, who opted to return to Australia to be by wife Lee's side as she prepared to give birth to the couple's first child.
Watson's father, Bob, told Brisbane's The Courier Mail that playing for Australia was not his son's only option.
"Playing Test cricket for Australia is the ultimate thing ... but if it comes down to it he is pretty good at Twenty20 cricket and the Indian Premier League," Bob Watson said.
"He doesn't have to play for Australia to keep playing cricket and earning some pretty good money at the same time. I am not sure whether it has got to that stage yet.
"If he goes true to form, he will ask my opinion and if and when he does I will tell him what I think."
The decision to suspend Watson from selection further drives a wedge of division between the deputy and his captain, Michael Clarke, with the pair long-suspected having a rocky relationship.
Langer strongly backed Watson's decision to be on-hand for the birth and said he believed Clarke should not have a position on the board of selectors.
"I don't think that the captain should be a selector," he said.
"I'll give you an example; we made a very tough call a few weeks ago on Marcus North, who's been a past captain, and Adam Voges and Michael Hussey have been captains of the West Australian cricket team.
"When I spoke to Marcus North, I was able to say that, 'Just so you know, Adam Voges and Mike Hussey, who are good friends of yours, have fought very hard to keep you in the team and I'd expect nothing less from them'.
"I'd do the same for Matthew Hayden or Damien Martyn or Ricky Ponting, I'd expect nothing less.
"But, if they were selectors, then it's very hard to be able to say that.
"The captain has a big enough job as it is and I look back on Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting and Alan Border and some great leaders, and they weren't selectors.
"In my opinion, I don't believe the captain should be the selector in any cricket team."
Follow Glen Foreman on Twitter: @glen_foreman
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