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Australian Test captain Michael Clarke has given his strongest indication yet that his persistent injury woes will bring a premature end to his cricketing career.
Clarke said after injuring himself in Australia’s win over India at the Adelaide Oval that he would need to have a “long hard think” about whether to continue to put his body through the rigours of international cricket.
Doubt surrounded Clarke in the lead up to the first Test. Recurring back and hamstring injuries – not to mention the considerable emotional strain as he carried the Australian cricketing community in the wake of the death of Phillip Hughes – at times looked certain to sideline him for the match.
He overcame the mental and physical toll to score a crucial century in Australia’s first innings, despite retiring hurt with back spasms on the first day.
Yesterday’s injury was a tear to his right hamstring, after suffering a left hamstring strain in the ODI series against South Africa in November.
Clarke’s scans indicated he would not play in the whites again this summer. He is also in serious doubt to lead Australia at the World Cup in February 2015, the first to be held on home soil in 23 years.
Clarke said that while choosing to play the match may have brought about a premature end to his career, he had no regrets in deciding to play.
“I have no regrets about playing this Test match. I have no regrets about going back on the field after I retired hurt,” he said.
“I don’t have one regret. This is the most important Test match of my career.
Clarke has managed three degenerative discs in his lower back throughout his career, but has only missed one Test in that time. The last two years, however, have seen Clarke undergo a range of back and hamstring complaints.
“I did my left hamstring (three times in the past four months). I’ve done my right side of my back, I’ve just done my right hammy. “I’ve got injury concerns at the moment.
“Now I’ve got to go back and do what the experts tell me, to give myself my best chance of being fully fit. But I think I have to be honest with myself and have a good hard think about things, definitely.”
Shaun Marsh has been called into the side to replace Clarke, while Cricket Australia have indicated that Brad Haddin will captain the side for the remainder of the summer.
The Test series moves to Brisbane on Wednesday, where India will try and square the series at the pace-friendly Gabba.
Michael Clarke’s recent injury woes
* Dec 2012 – Retires hurt during the Test in Hobart due to a right hamstring injury, but recovers to play Tests in Melbourne and Sydney.
* Feb 2013 – Misses an ODI due to “stiffness” in his right hamstring.
* Mar 2013 – Misses the fourth Test in India due to three degenerative discs in his lower back, an issue Clarke has been managing since he was 17.
* June 2013 – Misses the IPL and Australia’s Champions Trophy campaign due to back and hamstring problems.
* Aug 2014 – Tweaks his left hamstring while training in Harare.
* Aug 2014 – Aggravates his left hamstring injury during an ODI against Zimbabwe, retires hurt and returns to Australia.
* Nov 2014 – Aggravates the left hamstring injury during an ODI against South Africa.
* Dec 2014 – Retires hurt during the first Test against India due to a chronic back injury, but returns to make a hundred and fields.
* Dec 2014 – Limps off Adelaide Oval due to a right hamstring injury. Scans confirm a serious tear that will force him to miss the rest of the four-Test series.
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