Desperate to put an end to the controversy surrounding the suspension of four players including vice-captain Shane Watson, Australia skipper Michael Clarke today said he doesn't want to "look backwards" and focus on the third Test, starting here tomorrow.
"That (the issue) happened in the past. We are looking forward and don't want to look backwards," Clarke said, adding that the "focus is on the Third Test."
Besides Watson, James Pattinson, Mitchell Johnson and Usman Khawaja will also be sitting out for tomorrow's Test in wake of the disciplinary action taken against them by the team management for not submitting an assignment.
Clarke said that he had spoken to Watson when he landed in Sydney after leaving Chandigarh and expected the cricketer to be back for the fourth Test after his wife delivers their first child.
"Hopefully, he can fly back," he said.
Clarke said they would announce their playing XI tomorrow and would also take a call on wicketkeeper Matthew Wade, who had sprained his ankle while playing basketball at Chandigarh last week.
Asked whether the team has put off-the-field controversies behind, Clarke answered, "Yeah, I think that has been a big part of our last two days as team preparation-wise (to focus on the match ahead), we trained really well.
"Today, will be no different, our focus after we made our decision a couple of days before was to look forward and look to this Test match and we have been wholly and solely focused on that as a team.
"Over the past 48 hours, it's obviously been a lot of media and a lot of talk about the decision that was made, but from our side of the thing as a team, we know we need to be focused on this Test. We know how important a win in this Test match is, we know we have to win the next two Test matches to level the series, so that is our focus."
