Last Updated on 24 seconds ago by Charbel Coorey
Former Australia pacer Clint McKay was the T20 High-Performance Manager at Melbourne Stars. He recently moved to Melbourne Renegades, and performs the same role for the 2018/2019 Big Bash League (BBL) champions.
The 43-year-old has been an influential figure in Victorian cricket for quite some time, and was a regular face in the Australian ODI team between 2009 and 2014.
McKay’s international debut in 2009 against India is still remembered by the cricketing fraternity. His performance helped Australia win an absolute thriller in Hyderabad. With Sachin Tendulkar batting on 175 and threatening to single-handedly win the game for his side, McKay dismissed the great batsman and turned the game in Australia’s favour.
McKay went on to take 102 international wickets, with 97 coming in ODIs at an impressive average of 24.37 and economy of 4.78. This includes four four-fers, two fifers, and a hat-trick.
During an exclusive interview with Arvind Kalyana Krishnan in Melbourne for CricBlog, McKay spoke of his international debut and how he managed to dismiss an unstoppable Tendulkar. He also spoke about one of the games during the 2012 Commonwealth Bank Tri-series (featuring India and Sri Lanka) where MS Dhoni a memorable six off his bowling in the last over to win a thriller for the men in blue.
The former Indian captain had hit McKay for 13 runs in the 50th over, and the Victorian stated that he hears about that match even today.
Further on, McKay gave his view on the privatisation of the BBL and why focus remains important for the Renegades to have a good BBL 2026/27 season. Lastly, he also spoke about Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood while mentioning that the Aussie pace trio still have more to offer for Australia despite talks of their age.
I still hear about that MS Dhoni six all the time: Clint McKay
Below is the entire conversation between Arvind Kalyana Krishnan and Clint McKay
On his move to the Melbourne Renegades…
Arvind Kalyana Krishnan: I had spoken to you a few seasons ago, you were at the Stars (Melbourne Stars) at that time. So now at the Renegades (Melbourne Renegades)…..New jersey, new colour…..If you can talk about how are you feeling on that.
Clint McKay: Yeah, it’s a bit strange. Rides a little bit as a player when I was at the Stars for the first four years and then I went over to Sydney Thunder. It’s like a bit strange for that first little bit, but once you sort of get into the swing of it, it’s life! And now yeah, coming back from the Stars, for long period of time, and now, moving over to the Renegades, arch-rivals, it’s exciting for the Big Bash in Australia and looking forward to get stuck into it!
On BBL privatisation…
Arvind Kalyana Krishnan: With respect to the Big Bash League, the privatisation, people don’t know what’s happening. Some stakeholders and management professionals have put out statements, but as a former player yourself, and in the management, what are your thoughts on whatever’s happening at the moment?
Clint McKay: Yeah, to be honest, I’m not really sure. I mean, like, obviously, it’s going to affect the Renegades 100% we know that. We know something’s going on, we’re not going to change that. So for me, it’s how about you’re going to be successful this year, and what happens after that happens.
For us, it’s about making sure that the Renegades are looked after the best we can and as a resource the best we can, and to make sure that we give ourselves every opportunity to be successful….And that’s what we’re here for.
We’re not here to make money, we’re not here to make the numbers, we’re not here to finish one more year before something else happens. We want to win some titles, we want some silverware, and we think we’re setting out the squad the best we can to make sure we give ourselves the best chance to be successful.
On McKay’s involvements in iconic matches against India
Arvind Kalyana Krishnan: As far as Indian cricket is concerned, you have been a part of two iconic games against India. One where Sachin Tendulkar scored 175, and the one at Adelaide where MS Dhoni scored the winning runs in the last over. So if I were to ask you, which is more memorable for you? And what are your key learnings from those two games now after all these years looking back at them?
Clint McKay: Yeah, it’s interesting. I’ve been on both sides. The first one where I happened to get Sachin out and (we) won the game and the second one when MS hit me for a 114-meter six and that sort of costed the game. So probably the thing looking back now is like actually trusting your skills and I think I did that in my first game.
I think that was my first game in international cricket where I got Sachin out with a slower ball which was my go-to ball at that time whereas the MS game…..I was holding back my skill and went for something a little bit different and got hit for six and it’s one of the most memorable games for Indian cricket.
I still hear about it all the time now, so which is great! But probably the biggest thing I’ll say to the boys now is the reason why these guys are here and these girls are here is because they got a great skill. So make sure you continue to back your skillset and knowing that if you continue to do that then you’re more likely than not to be successful.
On the state of Australia’s bowling in Test cricket…
Arvind Kalyana Krishnan: Australia’s pace trio of Cummins, Hoff (Hazlewood), and Starc, probably amongst the best in the world. Now that they’re ageing, they’re getting old. So how long can they persist? What do you think?
Clint McKay: Seem to think they’ve got a bit of cricket left in them. Mitch Starc’s retired from some of the white-ball stuff and is really concentrating on Test cricket. Pat Cummins just keeps going and Josh Hazlewood’s just as good as there is. So leave talking about them being one of the best attacks in the world at the moment, I think if you look back, it’s probably one of the best attacks cricket has ever seen, the three of them, and then you throw Scotty Boland into the mix as well, he’s been fantastic.
I still think he (Scott Boland) has a couple of years left in him. I mean, probably gives a bit of time for the young guys like Callum Vidler and these sort of guys to really step up and continue to develop and make sure it’s a smooth transition coming through.
