ICC WORLD CUP CLARKE DETERMINED TO PLAY THROUGH PAIN
After much debate and much conjecture should he be back in Australia colours at the World Cup, Michael Clarke will be at the helm. Back where he belongs. Eight hours of rehab per day for the last month and a half, the Australian captain looked lean and hungry, and may I say focussed and determined when I met him at the team hotel on Wednesday morning. While Clarke was never in need of any extra motivation when it came to his cricket, his 'brother' Phil Hughes, cricket's worst tragedy in 2014, continues to inspire him 24x7, 365 days of the year.
As we started talking in the team media room at the Langham hotel, I noticed Clarke's phone screensaver had a black and white picture that looked familiar. When I asked if he was okay with me seeing it, the Australian skipper turned silent for a few seconds before handing me the phone. The picture is a black and white click of Clarke and Hughes. It was the last time we went out for dinner. It was taken during the last Pakistan series in Dubai So how come it is black and white, I asked. "I have converted it into black and white. I have photoshopped it. It gives me a great sense of satisfaction to be able to see my mate every time I see my phone. who had elevated himself to a different pedestal during Hughes' funeral and had given cricket a speech to be forever proud of. I must say I am overwhelmed at the kind of support cricket fans from across the world have given to Phil's family. He must have done a lot of good to deserve this kind of appreciation. I know I should not have cried at the funeral but I could not control my tears.
The tragedy is far more personal than one can ever imagine. Hughes was more than a brother to him and he is yet to come to terms with the loss in entirety. He thinks of Hughes each time he gets up from sleep and gradually his mate is turning into an extra bit of motivation for the Australian captain.
I asked him if he found it difficult to concentrate when he went out to bat for the first time in Adelaide after the funeral, Clarke's answer was revealing. "No it wasn't. I was so focussed on getting the hundred for Phil that it wasn't a distraction at all. Yes, I did not want to retire hurt on 60 and that was unfortunate but batting was never an issue. I was delighted that I was able to get back on the pitch and score that hundred. The world cup will be no different.
Hughes' memory push the Australian skipper that extra yard? "I don't know if the Cup is for him but he is always there with me. I see him each time I get onto the cricket field and know he is looking at us and wants Australia to do well. It is a tragedy that I can never completely overcome and the only thing I can do is absorb the pain and try and do it for Phil for that's what he'd have wanted.
The local media has been scathing on Clarke for the last month and a half. Why only local media, players like Rahul Dravid have called it a very 'un-Australian' decision to have included Clarke in the team. The skipper, however, isn't perturbed. Having seen him closely and having had the opportunity of catching up with him for over an hour, it seems to me that Cricket Australia has taken the right call. Clarke is clearly a man on a mission. And this time he has his mate Hughes with him.
After much debate and much conjecture should he be back in Australia colours at the World Cup, Michael Clarke will be at the helm. Back where he belongs. Eight hours of rehab per day for the last month and a half, the Australian captain looked lean and hungry, and may I say focussed and determined when I met him at the team hotel on Wednesday morning. While Clarke was never in need of any extra motivation when it came to his cricket, his 'brother' Phil Hughes, cricket's worst tragedy in 2014, continues to inspire him 24x7, 365 days of the year.
As we started talking in the team media room at the Langham hotel, I noticed Clarke's phone screensaver had a black and white picture that looked familiar. When I asked if he was okay with me seeing it, the Australian skipper turned silent for a few seconds before handing me the phone. The picture is a black and white click of Clarke and Hughes. It was the last time we went out for dinner. It was taken during the last Pakistan series in Dubai So how come it is black and white, I asked. "I have converted it into black and white. I have photoshopped it. It gives me a great sense of satisfaction to be able to see my mate every time I see my phone. who had elevated himself to a different pedestal during Hughes' funeral and had given cricket a speech to be forever proud of. I must say I am overwhelmed at the kind of support cricket fans from across the world have given to Phil's family. He must have done a lot of good to deserve this kind of appreciation. I know I should not have cried at the funeral but I could not control my tears.
The tragedy is far more personal than one can ever imagine. Hughes was more than a brother to him and he is yet to come to terms with the loss in entirety. He thinks of Hughes each time he gets up from sleep and gradually his mate is turning into an extra bit of motivation for the Australian captain.
I asked him if he found it difficult to concentrate when he went out to bat for the first time in Adelaide after the funeral, Clarke's answer was revealing. "No it wasn't. I was so focussed on getting the hundred for Phil that it wasn't a distraction at all. Yes, I did not want to retire hurt on 60 and that was unfortunate but batting was never an issue. I was delighted that I was able to get back on the pitch and score that hundred. The world cup will be no different.
Hughes' memory push the Australian skipper that extra yard? "I don't know if the Cup is for him but he is always there with me. I see him each time I get onto the cricket field and know he is looking at us and wants Australia to do well. It is a tragedy that I can never completely overcome and the only thing I can do is absorb the pain and try and do it for Phil for that's what he'd have wanted.
The local media has been scathing on Clarke for the last month and a half. Why only local media, players like Rahul Dravid have called it a very 'un-Australian' decision to have included Clarke in the team. The skipper, however, isn't perturbed. Having seen him closely and having had the opportunity of catching up with him for over an hour, it seems to me that Cricket Australia has taken the right call. Clarke is clearly a man on a mission. And this time he has his mate Hughes with him.
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