'Disappointed' Clark firmly defends rumours of 'rift' with Smith, Marsh

Firmly defending his relationship with Steven Smith and chief selector Rod Marsh, Australia cricket team captain Michael Clarke has said that he is disappointed that a few people have written a few things that he certainly doesn't believe are true.

Speculations of a rift between Clarke and some of his teammates, as well as with Marsh and Cricket Australia in general, have turned into a roar over the past week. And this has coincided with a step up in Clarke's efforts to prove his fitness in time for the February 21 deadline set for him by CA before he'll be ruled out of Australia's World Cup campaign.

Confronting the rumours head on, Clarke said that 'disappointing' is probably the right word, that a few people have written a few things that he certainly doesn't believe are true, but added that they're obviously getting information from somewhere, News.com.au reported.

He said that for him, it's water off a duck's back now, because he has had it his whole career, adding that a lot of people think that it's since he has become captain he has copped criticism.

Clarke likened the scenario facing him and Smith, who took over the captaincy for the Test series against India after Clarke injured himself in Adelaide, with his own relationship with Ricky Ponting late in the legendary batsman's time in charge of the national side.

The skipper believes that it's very easy for him and Smith, and claimed that they both know exactly where their relationship and friendship stands, adding that they both have a lot of respect for each other.

Clarke claimed that he sat in Smith's shoes when there was a lot of talk of Ponting being dropped from the captaincy so he certainly knows what he's feeling at the moment.

He insisted that the selectors would decide who they think they want in the team, firstly with the 11 players and then they'll decide who they want as captain, adding that whatever decisions the people above him make, he would respect and accept.

Many of the rumours of discontent within the Australian setup have centred around allegations that Clarke and Marsh, and to some extent Darren Lehmann, don't see eye to eye on a range of issues.

However, Clarke has insisted that he and Marsh have a good working relationship. He said that they are two very strong people though so they do regularly communicate and disagree with things.

But, the skipper added that the one thing they have always done is whatever decision is made, they back it like they have made it themselves.

Clarke said that that's probably what he loves so much about Marsh, adding that the national selector is very similar to his father, and would always be honest to him whether that's positive or constructive criticism.