Michael Clarke is in a race against time to regain full fitness for the World Cup and the Australia captain went through a rigorous fitness routine when Aussie players were waiting for the commencement rain-affected Sydney ODI against India.
Clarke is included in the 15-member squad for the World but he will have to prove fitness before Australia’s second game against Bangladesh on February 21. The signs, however, are quite encouraging for the 33-year-old and he is expected to prove his fitness.
The Australian captain run lap-after-lap of the wet Sydney Cricket Ground, without any trouble, when rest of the team was at the dressing room. Clarke injured his hamstring during the Adelaide Test and is covering after the surgery.
Meanwhile, former Australian batsman David Boon insisted that Clarke is a team man and he will only play the World Cup after regaining full fitness. Boon added that if the Aussie skipper failed to recover in time he won’t play in the tournament.
“It’s difficult for me to comment not being on the inside or with Australian cricket anymore,” Boon told SEN radio. “The Australian selectors have decided that they will keep him in that 15-man squad. They’re obviously hoping that he will be fit and they’ve set a date for that.”
“Because if he’s not fit, they’re probably going to have to make an application to the ICC Technical Committee to replace him that he won’t be able to play in the tournament and the Doctor is going to have to say that.”
“In saying that, I think my knowledge of Michael as a person, I think if he doesn’t think he’s fit he won’t get there,” he concluded. “He won’t just go and play because of it, he won’t let the team down or himself.”
WATCH: Rain no obstacle for skipper @MClarke23: http://t.co/h2Tf9Nn9Ce #cwc15 pic.twitter.com/X0C5ANoWr2
— Cricket Video (@CricketVideo) January 26, 2015
