Sydney: Vice-captain Shane Watson has said that he and Cricket Australia`s (CA) high-performance boss Pat Howard have agreed on a truce ahead of their joint arrival for the fourth Test against India.
According to Watson, a series of constructive interactions between him and Howard have smoothed the waters, adding that they are trying their best to bring back Australia to the pinnacle of world cricket.
Although the vice-captain is still insisting that his sacking from the Mohali Test had been harsh, he admitted that it was a tough time for him as he was going through a lot of issues at that time, adding that he and Howard have cleared the air between them and are on the same page now.
Stating that the only reason he returned to Australia was for the birth of his child, Watson said that he also had a chat with coach Mickey Arthur to solve the issues between them and added that he can now contribute his best to the team with a clear mind.
Agreeing with Watson, both Howard and Arthur have made it clear that there is no bad blood between themselves and the player, adding that they looked forward to having Watson in the team for the fourth Test.
Howard made it clear there was no bad blood between himself and Watson, who could captain Australia in the fourth Test if Michael Clarke fails to recover from a back injury.
According to Arthur, covering all the bases while preparing for any Test match is the key to success, adding that he had a positive response from Watson for his recommitment to the team.
Watson further thanked Arthur and Clarke for being `unbelievably compassionate` to allow him to fly home after being dropped for not supplying required feedback on how the team could improve after going 2-0 down in the series.
Watson was originally expected to return home after the third Test and miss the fourth Test, but his standing down over the homework-gate affair proved a blessing in disguise.
Watson`s availability comes at an important time for the visitors; with skipper Clarke clearly struggling to bat with a back injury before his dismissal for 18 on the final day of the third Test which India won to take a winning 3-0 lead in the series.
ANI
First Published: Tuesday, March 19, 2013, 11:41