Michael Clarke says the end still hasn’t sunk in.

Clarke’s 115-Test career finished when Australia clinched an innings and 46-run win over England in the Ashes dead rubber.  

Cricket has been all but the major part of Clarke’s life since childhood with notable landmarks coming in 2004 and 2011.

• Dave Warner and Joe Root patch things up 
• Why Fyfe and Hodge need to pull their heads in
• Injury carnage leaves the NRL a war of attrition

Clarke made a stellar Test debut 11 years ago, while he was handed the ODI and Test captaincy after Ricky Ponting’s resignation after the 2011 World Cup.

The 34-year-old has been renowned for his work ethic as much as his run-scoring during that stretch, but there will be far fewer 5am alarms now.

Clarke suggested his swansong, which featured a guard of honour from both England and Australia plus a couple of standing ovations at The Oval, felt no different to the other 114 Tests.

“To me that means it hasn’t hit me yet,” Clarke said.

“When I woke up this morning I thought today I might have felt it a bit more.

“I might have been quite emotional walking off the field for the last time or being out there fielding.

“Fortunately, which is very rare for me, I’ve been able to hold my emotions in.”

The shock death of close friend Phillip Hughes last November rocked Clarke and continues to do so.

Clarke donned his black armband with the initials ‘PH’ during the fifth Ashes Test.

“I have been able to hold my emotions in and I would like it to stay that way, I think everybody knows how I feel about that,” Clarke said.

“It’s been tough and it always will be, but it’s nice to have worn it for my last Test match.”

Clarke will captain Melbourne Stars during the Big Bash League, while he is expected to slot into the Channel Nine commentary box.

The skipper had insisted up until the fourth Test that he would not be retiring after the five-Test series, but has since come to the realisation now was the time to go.

“My personality is to always fight to get better, that’s probably one of the things I’m most proud of,” Clarke said.

“There’s no doubt that my form over the last 12 months has gone downhill.

“If I thought I could go to Bangladesh or go to the Australian summer and play unbelievable cricket I probably would have fought on.”

Clarke couldn’t sign off in style with the bat.

He scored 15 in a total of 481 that was dominated by a century from Steve Smith, his successor as skipper.

Clarke’s captaincy however remained as strong as ever, highlighted by the fact the veteran enforced the follow-on for the first time in his career.