Clarke has been plagued by back problems for years and they flared up again before Australia’s final One-Day International in Southampton last month. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
Clarke was ruled out of Australia’s one-day tour of India this month and while desperate to be ready for the first Ashes Test in Brisbane on November 21, the star batsman is pragmatic.
“Where I sit right now is I don’t know when I’ll be back playing cricket,” he said. “We have no idea how long it’s going to take.
“There’s certainly no guarantee [for the first Test] at this stage. It’s hard for me to say that because I’m trying my best not to look at it like that.
“I’m always positive and if they ask me, I’ll say I’ll be fit in a week’s time. But you ask Alex [Kountouris, team physio] who knows me very well, and he’d say there’d be doubt I won’t be right.”
Clarke has been plagued by back problems for years and they flared up again before Australia’s final One-Day International in Southampton last month at the end of a gruelling five-Test Ashes tour to England, which Australia lost 3-0.
Coach Darren Lehmann said all he could do was hope Clarke would be fit to face arch-rivals England, who are bidding to win a fourth straight Ashes series — something they last achieved in the 19th Century.
“I hope he improves his back pretty quickly,” said Lehmann.
“[The Ashes] is a long way off so hopefully with all the medicos behind him he should be right. However, only time will tell.”
In a further blow, fast-bowler James Pattinson also revealed he had no hope of being fit for Brisbane as he battles a back stress fracture, with the third Test in Perth seen as his likely earliest return.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 4th, 2013.
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