Lehmann ready to sacrifice for Clarke

Australia's problem of plenty came to the fore when with Darren Lehmann volunteered to give up his spot for Michael Clarke after the return of regular skipper Ricky Ponting.

Australia's problem of plenty in the batting department came to the fore once again with their acting vice-captain Darren Lehmann volunteered to give up his spot for Michael Clarke after the return of regular skipper Ricky Ponting.

HT Image

Ponting is likely to return for the third Test at Nagpur and one will have to give up his place. "If a guy plays a genius knock like that in the first innings of his first Test and is earmarked by all of us to play well, you have to let him in," Lehmann said.

"If I was the selector, I would think Clarke should play every Test for the next 10 or 12 years. That would be my opinion. Obviously someone has got to miss out.

Gilchrist’s viewpoint

Chennai: Meanwhile Adam Gilchrist clarified Darren Lehmann’s statement. "I know Lehmann made a comment about him not wanting to stand in the way of a young player," Gilchrist said.

"That is not him saying he is retiring or he is going to nominate himself. What he is saying is if a hard decision has to be made, he gets tapped on the shoulder, he won't go kicking and screaming. He will understand why. But he is not by any means resigned to the fact that it is him, or he is giving up."