Former Australian skipper Michael Clarke has been in the news lately for making some shocking revelations regarding his career in his autobiography - My Story. The World Cup winning captain has gone on to mention some of his bitter experiences and what he regrets about them.
Clarke, during an interview with The Advertiser recently, said that the one person he was desperate to apologize to was Dale Steyn.
Also read: Michael Clarke says Ricky Ponting would have been dropped if he had not retired in 2012
Clarke and South African spearhead Steyn, who fell out over an infamous on-field sledge from the former Australian skipper two years ago in Cape Town, almost crossed paths in Adelaide on Wednesday. Asked by The Advertiser, if he would have a 'chat' with the Proteas speedster Steyn, Clarke said, "Yeah, definitely. I look forward to seeing him in Perth."
The former skipper went to say that he had huge respect for Steyn and rated him as one of the best cricketers that he has played against. "I have always had the utmost respect for Dale. We were tough competitors all through our careers. In my book, I picked the best 12 I played with or against and Dale was one," he was quoted as saying by The Advertiser.
The catalyst for the Cape Town incident was Vernon Philander's controversial DRS reprieve after he gloved a catch to short leg as the Australians were inching towards victory. Clarke was annoyed with the decision and indulged in a verbal spat with Steyn, who was at the non-striker's end.
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Steyn had mentioned that he came across the worst sledge of his career when Clarke called him a 'cheat' during the final session of play in the Cape Town Test against Australia in 2014. On the other hand, Clarke told The Advertiser on Thursday that his only motive in sledging Steyn was to distract him and not to attack him personally.
"He was such a tough competitor I had to do whatever I could in my mind to combat what he was," he said.
It has been two years since the incident and neither of the two parties seems to have moved on. While Clarke has generously agreed to apologise to the Proteas pacer, the South African camp said that Steyn still thinks about the incident.
With the South Africans set to take on the Australians in the three-match Test series starting from November 3, it will be interesting to see if Steyn accepts Clarke's apologies.
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