Beating India to advance to the World T20 semi-finals on Sunday night would help the retiring allrounder erase his 'homework' nightmare from the Indian city three years later
Watson out to banish Mohali demons
After reminiscing about the myriad highlights in his illustrious career since announcing his retirement, Shane Watson has revealed his Test match suspension in Mohali to be the lowest point in his time playing cricket for Australia.
Watson will walk away from international cricket at the end of the World Twenty20, which could be on Sunday if Australia lose to India in Mohali, the same place where the allrounder was suspended from a Test match three years ago.
"Yes," Watson said when asked if his suspension was the lowest point in his playing career.
"Yes and it was here in Mohali as well, so it’s a good thing we’re not staying in the JW Marriott because I’ve got a bad memory of one of those rooms in particular there.
"So this has given me some nice memories coming back to Mohali.
"But yeah, that wasn’t really one of my high points, being suspended from a Test match, for not doing my homework, that I didn’t realise I had to do."
Watson, Mitchell Johnson, Usman Khawaja and James Pattinson were suspended by coach Mickey Arthur, captain Michael Clarke and team manager Gavin Dovey for not completing a task aimed to help improve the side after their innings and 135 run loss to India in the second Test in Hyderabad.
After the humiliating defeat inside four days, each player was instructed by Arthur to come up with three ways they could improve as a group and as individuals.
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The squad had four days to complete the assignment which could be submitted by email, text or a written note, and once the ideas were collated and four were found to be missing, the decision was made to suspend those who failed to comply.
It was deemed a "line in the sand" moment, one heavily criticised by former players including Arthur's successor and current coach Darren Lehmann.
Adults we are , not schoolboys! Please let's act properly and make good decisions in India! Need these boys playing.
— Darren Lehmann (@darren_lehmann) March 11, 2013
While Johnson, Pattinson and Khawaja all sat out the third Test, Watson flew home for the birth of his first child, Will, and returned to the subcontinent only days later for the fourth Test where he would lead his country for the first and only time in the Baggy Green after Clarke succumbed to an ongoing back injury.
That Test didn't go to plan – Australia lost by six wickets and the series 4-0 – and less than three months later, Arthur was sacked as coach and Lehmann instilled only two weeks out from the 2013 Ashes series.