AUS vs PAK: Michael Clarke Baffled by Australia's Call to Rest Test Stars For Pakistan ODI Series Decider

Former skipper Michael Clarke has been left baffled by Australia's decision to rest their Test stars during the 3rd ODI against Pakistan last week, saying that the series was on the line and the experienced players should have played the decider.

Despite the series hanging in the balance at 1-1, Australia rested a few senior players from the game in Perth and conceded an eight-wicket defeat against Pakistan to lose the home series on Sunday (November 10).

Speaking on The Big Sports Breakfast, Clarke said that the Australian players who are a part of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy squad could have easily taken part in the third ODI against Pakistan as there was almost 11 days left for the start of the Test series against India.

The first Test match of the series against India in Perth is scheduled to start on November 22. The former captain added that Australia could have decided to drop the "big fish" if the series was already sealed in the second ODI.

"I'm just a bit confused, so 11 days between now and the first Test (Perth Test), why can't the Aussie boys who are part of this Test series play in the one-dayer? If Australia had won the first two games, then you can understand why they rest their big fish, but it was series on the line. I feel like we obviously don't care about losing that series," Clarke said.

"If you're not going to care, we're not going to care. You can't expect the fans to want to come and watch one-day cricket. We are bagging one-day cricket, no one is turning up, hasn't got the interest," he added.

During the game against Pakistan in the 3rd ODI match, skipper Pat Cummins, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Starc, Steve Smith, and Josh Hazlewood were rested with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in sight.

India vs Australia Test series will kick off on November 22 in Perth. Adelaide and Brisbane will host the second and third Test matches respectively. The iconic Boxing Day Test will be played in Melbourne. The fifth and final Test will take place in Sydney from January 3.

Australia opened the three-match ODI series against Pakistan with a narrow two-wicket victory in Melbourne. But, they conceded defeat in two consecutive matches in the series which helped Pakistan to clinch a historic series win over the Aussies on their home turf.

Now, the ODI World Cup holders will continue more white-ball action without some of their senior players, when they face Pakistan in a three-match T20I series, starting on Thursday (November 14).