Former Australian captain and one of the game’s most fashionable batters, Michael Clarke, made his retirement from international cricket official on August 23, 2015. Bidding adieu to his 12-year-long career with the national team. In the final game of the 2015 Ashes series, which England won 3-2, he made the decision to retire while serving as captain of the series.
Clarke announced at a press conference that he was hanging up his shoes and quitting international cricket after the fifth Test against England. The Cricket Governing Body took to its official Twitter handle and informed its followers that Clark called curtains on his illustrious career on this day eight years ago.
Michael Clarke’s illustrious career
The former Australia captain made his International debut in January 2003 against England at Adelaide Oval. He later made the Test debut at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore in October 2004 in the first Test match of their tour of India. The 42-year-old made his T20I debut against New Zealand in February 2005.
He then went on to play in 115 Tests, 245 ODIs, 34 T20Is, scoring 17,112 international runs, and 94 wickets. He was named the captain after Ricky Ponting stepped down as captain in 2011, Clarke took over and delivered for Australia. The stylish batter led Australia to lift the coveted urn in the 2013 Ashes series in England, followed by winning the 2015 World Cup as captain in Australia.
In 115 Tests in his career, in which he has scored 8,643 runs, including 28 centuries, 4 double centuries and 27 fifties. Clarke finished his career at an average of 48.83. In ODIs, he has played 245 matches, scoring 7,981 runs which include 8 centuries and 58 fifties. The all-around batsman claimed 57 wickets, including one four. Under his captaincy, the Aussies have won 24 out of 47 Tests, 50 out of 74 ODIs and 12 out of 18 matches the side played in the shortest format of the game.
The batter was appointed an officer in the Order of Australia, an honour for achievement or meritorious service in the year 2020. He was named an Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AO) “for distinguished service to cricket as a player at the national and international level, through leadership roles, and to the community.”