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Michael Clarke, the former Australian captain and one of cricket’s all-time greats, was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame on Wednesday, January 23, at the historic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), making him the 64th player to receive this distinguished recognition.
The 43-year-old, who earned over 17,000 runs in 115 Tests, 245 ODIs, and 34 T20Is over a glittering 12-year career, continues to leave a lasting legacy in the world of cricket.
Michael Clarke Inducted into Australian Cricket Hall of Fame at SCG
As captain, Clarke steered the Australian National Cricket Team to remarkable triumphs, including a dominant 5-0 Ashes series win in 2013-14 and a home victory at the 2015 ODI World Cup, before stepping away from the sport. Upon his induction into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame, Clarke reflected on the immense honor of joining the ranks of the cricketing legends he admired as a young boy, acknowledging that while his playing days may be over, cricket remains an integral part of his life.
Michael Clarke said by Cricbuzz: “To be able to sit alongside so many wonderful players, idols, and role models growing up as a kid and looking up to is something I’m honored by. Retirement does a lot of things to you. Through stages of watching cricket now, you miss parts. When you play at the highest level, people talk about your international career, but for me, it started at six years of age. I retired at 34, so it was my life. It’s still a part of my life.”
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The former Australian captain was a prolific force in Test cricket, smashing 28 centuries and 27 fifties while leading the team in 47 Test matches. Clarke stands as the sixth-highest all-time Test run scorer for Australia and ranks among the top players in Test centuries.
A defining moment in his career came in 2005 when, after being dropped, he made a stunning return with a historic 329 not out against India at the SCG during the 2011-12 series, becoming just the sixth Australian to score a Test triple-century. He followed that up with a double century in the same series, as well as two more in the following year against South Africa. Some of his most unforgettable knocks include a gritty 151 against South Africa in 2011, rescuing Australia from a 47 all-out collapse, and a heroic 161 in 2014 at Cape Town, where he batted with a broken shoulder to propel Australia to the top of the Test rankings.
Clarke’s emotional 128 against India in 2014 at Adelaide, played just after the tragic death of Phillip Hughes, was a poignant tribute to both his final home Test and his late teammate. His ODI career was just as impressive, accumulating 7981 runs, including 8 centuries and 58 fifties from 245 matches. He also represented Australia in 34 T20Is, scoring 488 runs.
On the domestic front, Clarke’s numbers are equally remarkable, with 13,826 first-class runs in 188 matches, 9,905 List-A runs from 313 games, and 737 runs in 46 T20s, cementing his legacy as one of Australia’s greatest cricketing icons.