Gilchrist sulking after pipped by Clarke for T20 captaincy

[DesiChap]

MELBOURNE: Australia's regular vice captain Adam Gilchrist is sulking after the selectors ignored him and handed the captaincy reins to youngster Michael Clarke for Tuesday's Twenty20 match against New Zealand in Perth. Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch admitted the decision to make Clarke leader of the twenty20 side could not please Gilchrist but claimed the star stumper-batsman realized it was necessary to plan for the future. "It is a matter we discussed at length. We recognise it is a great honour to represent your country" Hilditch was quoted as saying by 'The Age'. "Adam is of the view he would like to be captaining his country but is pleased with the initiative. It is important we have forward planning," he said. Hilditch said anointing Clarke was part of Cricket Australia's long-term plans, especially for the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup. "It is a long-term initiative, to make sure we have strong leadership whenever Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist and, for that matter, Michael Hussey are no longer with Australian cricket," he said. "He (Clarke) certainly has all the credentials. This is seen as an ideal opportunity in a new form of the game for him to express his individuality and learn how to lead the side," Hilditch said. Meanwhile, though he has been tipped as a captaincy material for quite a while, Clarke said he was 'shocked' when Hilditch asked him to lead the twenty20 side. Clarke said when he got the call from Hilditch, he was afraid that it was to inform him that he had been dropped from the Twenty20 squad. When you get a call from Andrew, it's usually bad news," Clarke was quoted as saying by 'The Age'. "It was a big shock for me," added the youngster, who pipped regular vice captain Adam Gilchrist and Mike Hussey, who led the side in the Chappell-Hadlee series last year. Clarke, however, made it clear that he would not hesitate to fall back on the veteran duo for advice. "I get on really well with both Gilly and Huss. I will definitely be using both of them," he said. Clarke is also tipped to take over from Ricky Ponting in the longer version of the game as well and the youngster, a former under-19 and Australia A captain, seemed ready to step into the shoes of his elder teammate. "I've learned from a lot of guys, Warnie (Shane Warne), Ricky - I have spent a lot of time standing beside him in the field." "I've also talked to Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh. That's the advantage you have as a young cricketer in Australia," he said. And Clarke believes he would prove a very positive captain. "I like to communicate with a lot of guys and I think I will be pretty positive. I don't think that will change too much." And on succeeding Ponting, Clarke said he was ready to wait till the time was ripe to take over the reins. "I have tried to be open and honest about my goals. There's no doubt Ricky's our leader and will be for a long time yet. If an opportunity does come up when Ricky hangs his boots up, I hope I am scoring runs and I might get a chance." http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1137628