NO GO: In the end, Michael Clarke had the big decision made for him. Medical and coaching staff decided the Australia captain was not quite ready to return from surgery on his right hamstring to play in the opener against England. Coach Darren Lehmann is confident the 33-year-old skipper will start against Bangladesh on Feb. 21.
"He's very keen to play. But we've got to make sure when he gets back he's ready to go and he will be come Saturday week," Lehmann said. "He's respectful of what we're trying to do to get him right."
Missing a captain of Clarke's caliber would usually be a major setback for a team like Australia. But in his absence, Steve Smith stepped up to lead the test team to a series win over India, and George Bailey guided the one-day international team to a win in the tri-series against England and India.
England's leadership stocks were rocked when Alastair Cook was stripped of the ODI captaincy in December and replaced by Eoin Morgan.
