Michael Clarke opens up on his cricket future
Clarke made 28 Test centuries. Photo: Getty
Michael Clarke has revealed he is in the best physical and mental condition of his life and says he will “definitely” play cricket again this summer.
The 35-year-old retired from cricket in August last year but returned for a one-off game with his local club in New South Wales, Western Suburbs, in February.
He also played two fixtures in a Hong Kong Twenty20 tournament in May, sparking speculation he is set to play in this summer’s Big Bash League.
“I’ll definitely play some more club cricket for Wests this year,” Clarke, who is an ambassador for National Tree Day, told The New Daily.
“I have no interest in coming back and playing any international cricket [though].
“It’ll be about giving back to my club and we’ll wait and see what happens with the Twenty20 stuff.”
The acquisition of Clarke would be a major coup for any of the sides in Australia’s Twenty20 competition and add another major element of interest to what has quickly become one of the highlights of the sporting calendar.
Clarke – who has previously signed for the Sydney Thunder and the Melbourne Stars but never played a game due to national team commitments and injury – said a decision on his Big Bash League future is imminent.
Clarke was a big hit with fans in Hong Kong. Photo: Getty
“I haven’t made any decisions on Twenty20 cricket at this stage. I’ll probably have to over the next month or so,” he said.
Clarke’s return to the cricket field has come about following successful management of his chronic back pain.
The star batsman had to deal with the nagging issue right throughout his career and while he admits he still has his bad days, is hailing a new routine that has him on the improve.
“On the tough days, it is pretty hard to even get out of bed,” he said.
“But it’s about managing it. I make sure I’m moving around throughout the day.
“If I’m in meetings, I’ll stand up, have a stretch, make sure I’m keeping mobile.
“I care a lot more about what I eat now than what I probably did 10 years ago.
“I feel like I’ve got a maintenance routine that is helping me a lot. I feel stronger all over my body.
“It’s not necessarily [just] about a training program that you might see on my Instagram or on A Current Affair for 10 seconds and I want people to understand that.”
As for the benefits, Clarke says they are obvious.
“I do feel a lot better. Definitely,” he added.
“Physically and mentally, I feel stronger than I’ve ever felt.
“I feel as fit and healthy as I’ve ever felt in my life, to be honest.
“I make changes to that [routine] daily and weekly. And through those tough days, you’ve still mentally got to find a way to be able to do something.
“To go for a walk or just to get yourself out of bed. You see the benefits if you do. Our bodies aren’t meant for sitting still.”
Sitting still is something Clarke can’t be accused of post-retirement.
National Tree Day has seen more than 23 million trees planted.
He runs his own cricket academy, has a multitude of endorsement deals and lends his profile to a range of good causes.
He remains under contract with the Nine Network, too, and is likely to be part of their cricket coverage this summer.
But it is on the field where fans want to see Clarke most.
And, this summer, they will get the chance again.
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Michael Clarke was speaking in his ambassadorial role for National Tree Day.
National Tree Day, celebrated on Sunday July 31 this year, started in 1996 and is Australia’s largest community tree-planting event.
