NEW DELHI: Harbhajan Singh has always had rather fiery relationship the Australian cricket team in the past, and the former India spinner is not holding back any punches now. In what is his latest dig at the Aussies, Bhajji has appealed that former captain Michael Clarke should return to top flight cricket, because Australia have stopped producing top batsmen. Clarke retired post Ashes 2015 from Test cricket, a few months after guiding Australia to their fifth World Cup win. Since, Clarke has made a name as a cricket commentator, and is currently in India busy working in the ongoing ODI series. On Sunday, Australia produced another bad example of batting despite getting off to a stunning start. From 224 for two at one stage in the 39th over of their innings, Australia collapsed to 293 for six by the 50th. Australia’s plight was compounded after Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane added 139 for the first wicket, and the hosts sauntered to a comfortable five-wicket victory with more than two overs to spare, powered by Hardik Pandya’s quickfire 78. All this gave ‘The Turbunator’ enough to take a swipe at Australia and reach out to Clarke to pick up the bat and come to his team’s rescue. The defeat to India on Sunday at the Holkar Stadium in Indore was Australia’s 11th in last 13 matches overseas, two of which were washed out. The reigning ‘world champions’ are certainly struggling on all fronts in this format, with big names such as Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and James Pattinson recovering from their injuries. Published in Daily Times, September 26th 2017.