Cricket World Cup: 'I wasn't expecting to play again' - Watson

Austrailian cricket player Shane Watson's place in the team is uncertain. Photo / Nick Reed

The moment that righted Shane Watson's cricket career came when the burly allrounder feared his World Cup campaign had been torpedoed.

Watson never contemplated what chief selector Rod Marsh's words meant for his long-term prospects.

But Watson was left in little doubt about his place in the one-day side on March 4, when he was dumped in favour of fit-again James Faulkner for a clash in Perth.

"I wasn't expecting to play after being dropped for the Afghanistan game for the rest of the tournament," Watson said. "Rod Marsh at that time made it very clear what their intentions were."

Four days proved a long time in cricket. Watson was recalled for Australia's crunch clash with Sri Lanka at the SCG, where he was shuffled down the order.

"Horses for courses [selectors said]. I was willing to take any explanation that came my way," Watson said.

The veteran clubbed 67 and looked a far more confident batsman. In Watson's own words, the axe had "really lit something inside of me".

"It was unbelievably disappointing," he said. "When it really sunk in I'd been dropped, it really hurt.

"I know it's going to hold me in good stead over the next couple of years hopefully, because I don't want to be feeling like that again. I'm going to be doing everything I can to make sure I make the most of this opportunity now."

Watson is yet to be told if he's playing in Friday's quarter-final against Pakistan at Adelaide Oval. But the expectation is he will be deployed alongside Glenn Maxwell in the middle order, with Steve Smith batting at first drop.

"My role has changed the last couple of games, which is absolutely fine," he said. "I know I hadn't scored enough runs [at No 3], simple as that.

"I thought I was close to being able to nail it , but I just never did."

Watson felt he wasn't batting smartly enough during his dry spell, taking too many risks and offering too many catches. In that regard, Marsh's tap on the shoulder helped bring about some changes in the 33-year-old's approach at the crease.

However, Watson suggested his soft dismissal against Daniel Vettori in the preceding match triggered a similar reaction.

"That was a big reality check even before I got dropped," he said. "It clicked that I had to make some adjustments to how I was playing, because it hasn't been good enough.

"Now I've made a number of adjustments to my mental approach, more than anything, that I should have done 12 or 18 months ago.

"It's just amazing how quickly things can turn around."

- AAP