Michael Clarke's Test career in pictures
Farewell ClarkeMichael Clarke retired from ODI cricket handsomely top-scoring in the 2015 ICC World Cup final against New Zealand helping Australia clinch the sport’s biggest prize for the fifth time. He quit the T20 format on his own terms as well as he realised it was not suited to his style of technical batting, thus making way for the younger Australian players to have an opportunity in the national team.“For me, I've always said Test cricket is the ultimate for me,” Clarke said announcing his retirement from the T20 cricket. His dream of winning an Ashes on English soil might have remained unfulfilled but much like his ODI retirement, his Test career also ended on a winning note and as he pulls down curtains on his international career, he will go down in history as one of Australia’s best Test batsman. The statistics back that up. He is Australia’s fourth highest run-getter in Test cricket and lies fifth in terms of centuries scored. His captaincy record may not be up there with some of Australia’s big guns like Steve Waugh or his successor Ricky Ponting, but Clarke was known to back his instincts and always go for the win. His strong opinions on cricket matters didn’t go down well with everybody in the dressing room, but that’s what “The Pup” was all about. They were never selfish opinions but his stance regarding what he thought was right. The above sentiment was best put forward by Ponting after Clarke announced his decision to retire. Here’s what he had to say."Cricket takes all sorts of characters and Michael and I had our share of disagreements. But when it came down to it he loved the game and performed with distinction for Australia as batsman and captain, taking the leadership job at a challenging time. His statistics and longevity are right up there with the very best cricketers of all time.”Here’s out picture tribute to Clarke’s amazing career with a look at some of his most memorable moments in Test cricket.
#1 Century on Test debut, 2004
Michael Clarke made his debut for Australia against India at Bangalore in October 2004 a memorable one scoring a mammoth 151 in his first ever Test innings. With a first-class average below 40, his call up to the team in the longer format did raise some eyebrows, but Clarke gave the perfect reply with his bat.
Coming in at a not so comfortable 159/4, the innings helped Australia build a commanding first innings total of 474. The visitors went on to win the match by 217 runs and Clarke was rightly awarded the Man of the Match. That innings set the tone for the rest of the series which Australia won 2-1, their first Test series victory in India for over thirty years.