Cricket: Waugh goes into bat for Clarke

Former Australian cricket captain Steve Waugh. Photo / Getty Images

ABU DHABI - Former Australian skipper Steve Waugh says it would be very unfair if Michael Clarke's captaincy aspirations were harmed by his decision to return home from the tour of New Zealand for personal reasons.

Clarke left the team midway through the one-day series against the Kiwis to be with fiancee Lara Bingle, who is suing AFL star Brendan Fevola after publication of a nude photo.

Clarke was named on Wednesday in the test squad for the upcoming series against New Zealand, although Cricket Australia general manager of cricket Michael Brown was unaware when the vice-captain would be ready to rejoin the team.

But Waugh said Clarke's decision to put his personal life first should not count against him when the time came to appoint Ponting's successor as test captain.

"I hope not, I wouldn't think it would," said Waugh, who is in Abu Dhabi to attend the Laureus World Sport Awards.

"Michael's captaincy would be judged by what he did on the field and how he handles himself in the media.

"He's done a very good job when he's captained the team in the past.

"I wouldn't have thought that going home right now was going to affect his captaincy.

"That would be very unfair on him."

Waugh said Clarke would only have left the squad with the full backing of Ponting and team management.

"The decision was obviously made that it was for the benefit of Michael and the team that he went back," said Waugh.

"I'm more than happy to support what he's doing.

"There's obviously a reason why he's gone back to Australia.

"It wouldn't be trivial, it would be a serious matter and that has happened in the past with touring teams, when a relative might have passed away, or the birth of a child.

"The game has changed - when I first started playing you didn't go home, no matter what.

"And then it was thought `let's have a better look at this and if it's going to benefit the player, let's take it into consideration'."

- AAP