MELBOURNE, Oct 28: Accusing Michael Clarke of playing a role in removing him from the list of Cricket Australia contracts, Simon Katich on Friday said he would never be able to wear a baggy green again as long as the team is led by the present skipper.

Katich, who had earlier denied that his and Clarke’s infamous dressing-room spat had anything to do with him losing out on the central contract, did a U-turn and said that the incident actually played a significant part.

“I think you don’t have to be Einstein to figure out that it’s not just the selectors that had a part in sending me on my way,” Katich told reporters.

“I mean to be brutally honest obviously what happened in the dressing room here a few years ago didn’t help my cause. And obviously the captain and coach are selectors,” he added.

Katich was embroiled in an altercation with Clarke after the Sydney Test against South Africa in January 2009, where he reportedly grabbed the latter by the throat in the dressing room after an argument had developed over when the team song would be sung.

And the former Test opener feels the unfortunate incident would continue to be a hindrance to his international comeback despite the fact that a new national selector John Inverarity has been appointed.

“Just because he (Inverarity) is going to be chairman of selectors or whatever role it is I wouldn’t have thought that’d make too much difference,” said Katich.—Agencies