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Piloting Australia to the acme

April 01, 2015 04:17 am | Updated 04:17 am IST - Chennai:

Michael Clarke

“There’s a chance I may never play again,” said Michael Clarke had said in Adelaide last December.

The Australian captain’s words, soon after his team had overcome India on a captivating final day of the first Test of the series, were greeted with a stunned silence. Yet, Clarke’s visage did not reflect the pain he was in. There were no tears, only a steely gaze.

Then, Clarke added: “I hope that’s not the case, and I will be doing everything in my power to get back on the park but I have to be realistic as well.”

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He was 33, and a chronic injury to his right hamstring necessitated surgery.

Clarke was clearly struggling on the field, and his first-innings 128 was a battling effort where he surmounted barriers of physical discomfort. His hamstring kept him out of that dramatic final session on day five when Brad Haddin led the side to a rousing victory under pressure.

It was a race against time for Clarke in his bid to get fit for the World Cup. He opted out of the last three Tests against India, went under the surgeon’s knife in Melbourne. The rest is history.

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The skipper made a winning difference, his strength of mind coming to the fore. His captaincy, always attack-minded and innovative, had lost none of its spark.

Australia’s triumph also meant four of its greatest batsmen covering different periods — Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting and Clarke — had lifted the World Cup.

Leg-spinning all-rounder Richie Benaud was an excellent captain but his career ended in 1964, much before the first World Cup was held in 1975. Then, Shane Warne, despite his bold, pro-active ways in the few games he led his country in, never got a long run at the helm. Batsmen have dominated the Australian captaincy and the World Cup.

Border’s triumph against the odds in the World Cup of 1987 in India and Pakistan turned things around for Australia during a rather turbulent rebuilding phase where the side picked itself up from bottom.

The left-hander’s captaincy was much like batting: gritty, tenacious and looking for openings only after securing safety. It was in keeping with the needs of his side.

Steve Waugh, who inherited a well-settled and tremendously talented Australian side from the aggressive Mark Taylor, was ruthless in his methods. “He (Waugh) wanted to crush opponents from the first ball,” Glenn McGrath said to The Hindu some time back.

With the willow, the battle-scarred Waugh was a famous fire-fighter in grim situations. His monumental unbeaten 120 in a must-win game for the Aussies against South Africa in a crucial Super Six game at Leeds was a key factor in Australia’s triumph in the 1999 edition.

His dominant captaincy sometimes contrasted with his style of batting.

Like Waugh, Ponting led a world-beating side of match-winners that relentlessly pursued excellence. His job as skipper was not easy since Australia was expected to win every match.

‘Punter’ was a gifted batsman who tore into attacks with fierce pulls, drives and cuts. His unbeaten 140 against India in the 2003 World Cup final at the Wanderers was one such innings.

During times when bats have become heavier and strides shorter, Clarke’s immaculate footwork pleases the eye. He scores runs when it matters.

And, now, he has piloted the Aussies to the acme.

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