I May Never Play Again --Michael Clarke

[biscuitRAJA000]

Australia's captain Michael
Clarke has admitted he may
never play again after chronic
back and hamstring problems
overtook him during the first
Test against India in Adelaide.
Clarke ruled himself out of the
remainder of the series
following the dramatic and
emotional victory on Saturday
afternoon, a conclusion he
watched from the sidelines
after going to hospital where
scans confirmed a tear to his
right hamstring.
This added to the recurrence
of back trouble he suffered on
day one, and the left
hamstring strains that had
upset his preparations for this
series. All together they are
enough to mean Clarke will
not be seen again at least until
the preliminaries of Australia's
World Cup campaign in
January.
But having grappled with his
back problem in particular
since it emerged during his
teenage years, Clarke has
pondered often the length of
his career. He was genuinely
frank in conceding that at 33
the protests of his body were
only getting louder with age.
"The experts are looking at
scans now, I don't know
exactly how long I'm going to
be out for," Clarke said. "I
think the World Cup, our first
practice game is eight weeks
away, I'd love to take part in
the tri-series, I'd love to take
part in the World Cup but I
just have to wait and see.
"There's no doubt there's
certainly a chance [I will miss
the World Cup], well there's a
chance I may never play again.
I hope that's not the case and
I'll be doing everything in my
power to get back out on the
park but I have to be realistic
as well.
"I think my body in general
there's always that risk. This
is a different hamstring, I did
my left hamstring, 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."
Despite these words, Clarke
said he did not for one
moment regret either pushing
to play in the match without
having played any cricket
since he suffered a left
hamstring strain against South
Africa in Perth in November,
nor returning to the wicket to
bat on day two after retiring
hurt when his back flared up
on the first afternoon. Given
his closeness to Phillip Hughes
and the emotional weight of
returning to play after his
death, Clarke called it "the
most important Test match of
my career".
"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 am extremely
thankful that Alex Kountouris
and Doctor Peter Brukner did
everything they could to give
me a chance to get on the
park in this Test match firstly,
but then to walk out and score
some runs. The rest will take
care of itself. I will be guided
by the experts and hopefully
I'll get another opportunity to
play again this summer."
Once Clarke had been passed
fit to play in Adelaide, he was
duty-bound to make every
effort to return to the field
despite his back condition, this
he did through a combination
of injections, painkillers and
constant work from Australia's
physio Alex Kountouris.
"My back was quite sore,"
Clarke said. "I needed some
injections and some medication
to get me back out onto the
park, but I've said before
that's part of playing
international sport, people do
it on a daily basis. Once you
walk into the game you have
to do whatever it takes to
finish that game and it was
really important for me to
walk back out the next
morning.
"India had just taken the
second new ball, India had
taken three wickets at the end
of that day with the new ball
so I thought it was important
for the team that I got out
there and even if I couldn't
make runs just see the new
ball off to give our tail every
opportunity."
Shaun Marsh has been added
to the squad for the Brisbane
Test as a replacement for
Clarke, having also been part
of the squad for the Adelaide
Test before being released to
play in the Sheffield Shield.
Mitchell Starc has also been
added to the squad ahead of
the Brisbane Test as an extra
bowling option.

[alpachinao]

:( varni aus suddi baledu debba medda debba

[sigsegv]

its okay man .. njy with family ..

[alpachinao]

Sachin gadi booklo edini baga pogidadu... Nice captain

[mustang302]

so sad...i wish clarky comes back...

[perugu_vada]

Anavasaramga push chesadu
Full ga cure ayye dhaaka aagakunda

aina a while back annadu, due to his back probs, he may not play till 36-37 like hussey/ponting, he will retire by 32-33 ani, may be he shud retire now, for his own gud