5 Australian cricketers Indians love to hate

It’s a well-known fact that the Australian team takes pride in its aggressive style of play, intimidating the opposition by their game, and sometimes, their words. There have been innumerable instances when the Aussies have crossed the lines of gamesmanship, earning the wrath of critics and fans alike.

India-Australia face-offs have seen one of the best matches in the game, and the two cricketing bigwigs giving their all. With the introduction of the Indian Premier League, the Indian fans have gotten to know the Australian players better, and the Indian players have established an excellent rapport with their Aussie counterparts.

Yet, there are certain cricketers from Down Under that Indian fans love to hate, despite their unmatched excellence on the cricket field.

#5 Michael Clarke

Clarke has had multiple run-ins with Indian players

When Clarke first came into the international scene, he seemed a far cry from the stereotypical tough Australian cricketer. Baby-faced Clarke was nicknamed Pup, and looked like a kid in a league of Australian giants. Over the next decade, he slowly rose up the ranks, ending his career as a World Cup winning captain, and the most experienced player of the lot.

Indian cricket fans didn’t have very fond memories of the 35-year old, who made his debut against the same opposition in 2004. Although part of it might be due to the fact that he used to reserve his best against the Indian team, including an unbeaten 329 against and a surprising spell of 6-9 in his debut Test series, his unpleasant behaviour used to leave a bad taste in the Indian fans’ mouths.

He had numerous run-ins with the opposition, including an incident with Sachin Tendulkar, when he told the latter that he was old and “(you) need to go away”. The Sydney Test in 2008 was another incident when his integrity was questioned. He refused to walk even after getting a clear edge, and grassed a catch but claimed it aggressively.