“It is something that should have been completed and as a member of the team the others take full responsibility for it,” Pattinson said. “It should have been done, all the other players bar four got it in.
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There is no excuse. It is disappointing to miss a Test match. It is something you personally love doing, but again when you took a look at the bigger picture, you understand what has happened and why it has
happened.
“(Arthur) wanted it in by Saturday night and it was one of those things where I didn't put in 100 per cent for the team. It was part forgetting and at this level you can't forget. It's pretty cut-throat and personally not good enough. It wasn't a hard task at all and it was something that was very valuable for the team going forward.
“It comes down to preparation for a Test, you can prepare in the nets and the batting, bowling and fielding but preparing off the field as well is just as important as well. It comes down to not preparing well
enough for the next Test.”
Australian management have explained that the standing down of the quartet – which could leave the squad with only 12 available players for the third Test – was a tipping point rather than an isolated incident. They point to a general slide in attitude, which came to a head when Pattinson, Watson, Johnson and Khawaja failed to follow a particular order.
Pattinson said the four had apologised to teammates at training at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium on Monday.
“We have had a few issues in the team, ones that I don't really want to go into but it builds up and it is the final straw so to speak,” Pattinson said.
“We need to send a message to the team, not just myself but everyone else. We have to take responsibility for where we are at as a team. We are a group of young players, we are not a group of great players like
we've had in the past that can sometimes get away with it because they have performances on the board.
“We don't have that. As a team we have to take responsibility moving forward because we are young men and we haven't made it in Test cricket. At the moment, we have to do everything right to make us into
a great team.”
“People talk about it as a harsh punishment but looking deeply into it you realise probably it’s not. If you want to be part of the Australian cricket team you have to do everything right. It’s not acceptable. I believe it’s the right punishment. Everyone in the group needs to understand that this is the lengths we need to go to to be
successful as a team.”
Read more:
No excuses from repentant Pattinson
