Retirement not on agenda for Clarke

Michael Clarke has brushed aside any suggestion of retirement, declaring himself as fit as he’s ever been despite suffering a tour-ending hamstring injury in Zimbabwe.

The Test and one-day cricket captain returned to Sydney on Tuesday after sustaining the injury in Australia’s shock loss to the host nation in the one day match last Sunday.

While admitting the injury was clearly a deeper issue than the minor hamstring strain he initially thought, Clarke, who’s also had a series of back problems throughout his career, said giving cricket away was not on his radar.

“I love the game as much as I always have, ” Clarke said.

“The last thing I am thinking about is retiring.”

Clarke was scheduled to have a scan later on Tuesday, but was hopeful of being fit for next month’s Test and one-day matches against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.

He had sat out Australia’s first two games in the tri-series tournament with a hamstring issue before aggravating the injury in scoring 68 in the match against Zimbabwe but Clarke insisted he was right to play.

“I spoke to the doctors and physio in Zimbabwe and I believe we made the right decision,” Clarke said at Sydney Airport.

“I would have been really disappointed if I got on a plane straight away without seeing how I was going.

“I did all the things in regards to leading up to the game so in my mind I was 100 per cent fit to perform.

“I felt fine. I had two fitness tests four days and then two days before the game. So I ticked all the boxes.”

As such he didn’t foresee any issues in the months to come either.

“I think I have had a really good run in the last 12 to 18 months and my back’s been in really good shape,” Clarke said.

“It’s obviously frustrating that I have been training for four months in preparation for getting onto onto the field and I played one game, or half a game, in Zimbabwe.

“But I am really confident. I feel as fit and healthy as I have been throughout my career. I’ve worked exceptionally hard over the last four months.”

Clarke also made it clear he had no regrets about expressing his disappointment after Steve Smith was not selected for the spin-friendly pitch in Harare last Sunday.

Coach Darren Lehmann subsequently said he would rather Clarke’s conversations with him stayed out of the media.

“That’s ‘Boof’s’ (Lehmann’s) opinion, ” Clarke said.

“I have always been open and honest to the media and that’s not going to change.”