Clarkes position is rapidly becoming unjustifiable.
You justified Haddins for ages, and Clarke has a much better record and has been a better player. Looks like back and hamstring injuries have caught up to him though the way he is playing. They'll keep him to the end of summer
He's on the level below players like chappell and Ponting.
I just checked Jayawardene's record and they're basically exactly the same. Both hugely dominant in favourable home conditions but merely solid test players away from home.
But you're right though; Mahela has been to some degree a figure of derision. Labelled a player who feasts in home conditions but unable to replicate that away. Clarke is essentially the same with, like Jayawardene, the odd great innings being the exception.
Both are clearly below the likes of Sanga, Kallis and Ponting to name three.
I still think they're both greats. Clarke is a modern day Aussie great as his numbers are still impressive. But he's not in that elite company.
Well, yeah, but so are plenty of batsmen. It's not really a slight. Pontings amongst the best of all time and would probably make an Aus all time XI. Clarke was a really really good player for some time, despite a number of bad injury problems. He certainly didnt go as well away from home but still managed some very important runs against good opposition overseas (e.g. superb centuries in each of his last two trips to South Africa against probable the best bowling attack around, centuries in England the last two tours, runs in India).
Jayawardene is a little different because his away average of 40 odd is boosted by performing in very similar conditions in India (averages a very good 60), 40+ in Zimbabwe, Pakistan, Windies, but is 35 in England, 32 in Aust, 27 in South Africa and NZ. Clarkes overall numbers are down overseas but has generally still been a reasonable contributor in each conditions, averaging 40 odd in India and South Africa, 42-43 in Sri Lanka and England (Has dropped from 46.5 in 17 English tests prior to this series, probably a better reflection of his performances), 49 in NZ, 39.5 in Windies. Only two disaster zones are bangladesh and UAE where his four tests have only yielded a tad over 100 runs total.
Their records looks similar but Clarke was able to play in a greater range of conditions (just none near as well as home conditions, none too bad), whilst jayawardene clearly had a pretty major weakness against good fast bowling in fast bowling conditions (because most of those countries also had very good attacks over his career). Both very good players.
