(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Australia captain Michael Clarke has been ruled out of their one-day international (ODI) series against Pakistan here in the UAE next month with a hamstring injury.Clarke was provisionally pencilled in to play in the three 50-over games in Sharjah (October 7th) Dubai (October 10th) and Abu Dhabi (October 12th) yet he won’t now be in a position to compete. However it’s still hoped the tourists’ talismanic skipper may yet be fit for the subsequent Test series thereafter with the first of two five-day outings not due to commence until October 22nd here in the emirate.
“Since returning to Australia Michael has had a series of investigations that have confirmed a significant hamstring injury” said Cricket Australia physiotherapist Alex Kountouris after Clarke flew home from Zimbabwe earlier this month. “Importantly the scans have demonstrated tendon damage which complicates the recovery from this injury.
“As such he will not recover in time to be available for the ODI series in the UAE. We are hopeful that he will be available for the Test series but this will be determined at a date closer to the first Test.” Missing out on the limited-overs matches alone will still be a bitter blow for the 33-year-old right-handed batsman after he was forced to deny he may quit the format after next year’s World Cup owing to his persistent back problems.
“I love the game as much as I always have. The last thing I am thinking about is retiring” he told reporters at Sydney Airport having touched down on the flight back home from Harare.
“I think I have had a really good run in the last 12 to 18 months and my back has been in really good shape. It’s obviously frustrating that I have been training for four months in preparation for getting 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.”
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