Michael Clarke fears his career could be over after he sustained yet another hamstring injury in Australia's first-Test victory against India on Saturday.
Australia's enthralling 48-run triumph was soured by the injury to captain Clarke, who pulled up while stooping to field the ball in the final day's play and left the Adelaide Oval to have scans on his right hamstring.
The 33-year-old batsman was an injury doubt going into the first Test — which was rescheduled and relocated to Adelaide following the death of batsman Phillip Hughes 16 days ago — after he suffered a separate hamstring injury during the recent one-day international series against South Africa.
Clarke admitted he was a doubt for the remainder of the four-match series immediately after the match, before declaring that he might have to give up the game altogether in a post-match press conference.
“There’s a chance I could never play again,” Clarke said. “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 think I’ve got to be realistic as well.”
He added: “I think (with) my body in general, there’s always that risk.
“You know, this is a different hamstring. I did my left hamstring, I’ve done the right side of my back, I’ve just done my right hammy. I think obviously I’ve got injury concerns at the moment, now I have to go back and do what the experts tell me to give myself the 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.”
Australia's victory came courtesy of a mesmerising spell of off-spin bowling from Nathan Lyon. Nathan Lyon's second-innings figures of seven for 152 — which also saw the off-spinner record his maiden Test 10-wicket haul — led to India's demise, but the tourists had earlier been in a promising position thanks to a third-wicket partnership of 185 from Murali Vijay and stand-in skipper Virat Kohli.
Lyon accounted for Vijay with the opener a run shy of his century and also snared Kohli’s wicket after he made 141 — a man-of the-match performance which drew high praise from his team-mates.
"It's great to see Nathan Lyon get his maiden 10 wickets and what a phenomenal effort by the boys," Brad Haddin, who skippered Australia to victory in Clarke's absence, said afterwards.
David Warner, who like Kohli registered centuries in each innings, was equally impressed with Lyon's contribution.
“It’s been a tough week for all of us and what an outstanding performance from Nathan Lyon,” Warner said. “There has been a lot of talk around him in the second innings, but look at what he produced today — another five-wicket haul, maiden Test 10 wickets in a game, fantastic job and Hughesy would thank him again.”
