Australia captain Michael Clarke optimistic about playing in Cricket World Cup
Saturday 3 January 2015 20:48, UK
Australia captain Michael Clarke is optimistic about his chances of playing some part in the World Cup after revealing he is making good progress in his recovery from injury.
The 33-year-old saw his participation in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Test series against India end after damaging his hamstring in the series opener in Adelaide last month.
This led to concern that Clarke may be forced to retire but he has since undergone surgery and hopes to return during the World Cup which starts next month.
"I'm a week ahead of schedule in my rehab from hamstring surgery,” Clarke wrote in his column for Australia's Daily Telegraph.
"I've already completed three running sessions and am back riding the bike. I'm still looking at being fit by the early stages of the World Cup but I'll ultimately be guided by our medical team."
Neither captain finished the Border-Gavaskar series following the shock retirement of India’s Mahendra Singh Dhoni from the five-day game after the third Test.
Clarke paid tribute to the wicketkeeper batsman, saying: "I doubt many have dealt with the expectation, scrutiny, pressure and extreme adoration better than MS Dhoni.
"How Dhoni has managed to hold down the captaincy while playing all three forms of the game and wicketkeeping is beyond me. He's done a wonderful job and I think the hole he has left in the Test team will be hard to fill."
