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Sydney, Mar 11 (ANI): Former Australian skipper Steve Waugh has said it would be unfair if Michael Clarke’s captaincy aspirations are harmed by his decision to return home from the tour of New Zealand for personal reasons.

Clarke left the team midway through the ODI series against New Zealand to return to Sydney and decide whether or not to continue his relationship with fiancee Lara Bingle.

Waugh said Clarke’s decision to put his personal life first should not count against him when the time came to appoint Ponting’s successor as Test captain.

“I hope not, I wouldn’t think it would,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Waugh, as saying.

“Michael’s captaincy would be judged by what he did on the field and how he handles himself in the media. He’s done a very good job when he’s captained the team in the past.

“I wouldn’t have thought that going home right now was going to affect his captaincy. That would be very unfair on him,” Waugh said.

Waugh said Clarke would only have left the squad with the full backing of Ponting and the team management.

“The decision was obviously made that it was for the benefit of Michael and the team that he went back. I’m more than happy to support what he’s doing. There’s obviously a reason why he’s gone back to Australia,” said Waugh.

“It wouldn’t be trivial, it would be a serious matter and that has happened in the past with touring teams, when a relative might have passed away, or the birth of a child. The game has changed - when I first started playing you didn’t go home, no matter what,” he added. (ANI)