Published: Mar 28, 2015, 10:21 AM (IST)
Edited: Mar 28, 2015, 10:21 AM (IST)
Australian captain Michael Clarke has announced that he will retire from One-Day Internationals (ODIs) after Sunday’s ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 final against New Zealand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
On the eve of the final, Clarke made his decision public in the pre-match press conference. The 33-year old announced, “”Tomorrow will be my last ODI game for Australia. I’ve just spoken to my team-mates, spoken to James Sutherland and Rod Marsh and Darren Lehmann and informed them that tomorrow will be my last ODI game for Australia.”
“I’m extremely thankful and grateful. I just found out that tomorrow will be my 245th one-day game for Australia. It’s certainly been an honour and a privilege to represent my country in One Day cricket for that amount of games and I’m grateful to every single player I’ve been lucky enough to play with, and this team is certainly no exception to that. I think it’s the right time for me and the Australian cricket team.”
Clarke feels that he has struggled for continuity in one-day appearances due to injury, and said that his priority was to remain a key player for Australia in Test cricket for as long as possible. He feels the new captain should get the opportunity to build the side for the next World Cup in 2019.
“I was very fortunate four years ago to get the opportunity to captain this One Day team, and I think that was really good preparation for me leading up to this World Cup, and I think the next Australian captain deserves the same opportunity. I don’t think it’s realistic that I’ll be here, I’ll be fit and healthy and available to play the next World Cup, so I believe it’s the right time. I think I leave the game, the One Day game for the Australian team in a better place than when I took over the captaincy, and I think the last World Cup we were knocked out in the quarterfinal, and this World Cup we’ve been able to make the final, and hopefully we can go on and have success in that final. So two finals and one quarterfinal for my time in World Cups, and I’m hopeful that it’ll prolong my Test career, as well, and that’s obviously a priority for me, to continue to be successful in the Test format, and I think by walking away from One Day cricket it probably gives me my best opportunity,” said Clarke, who made his ODI debut in 2003.
Many expected the decision by Clarke as he has struggled with injuries in the recent past. A World Cup win will be the prefect farewell gift for the successful Australian.
