Who is Michael Clarke?
Michael Clarke is a former Australian cricket captain who led Australia to victory at the 2015 Cricket World Cup on home soil. A stylish batter, he scored 8,643 runs in 115 Tests.
Clarke was born in Liverpool, Sydney, in 1981. He made his Test debut in India in 2004 and scored a century in his first innings.
He became Test captain in 2011 after Ricky Ponting stepped down. In 2012, he scored four double centuries in a single calendar year, including 329 not out against India at the SCG.
World Cup triumph
Clarke led Australia to the 2015 World Cup title, defeating New Zealand in the final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It was Australia's fifth World Cup title.
Clarke's captaincy was marked by the tragic death of his close friend Phillip Hughes in November 2014, after Hughes was struck by a ball. Clarke's moving eulogy at Hughes's funeral touched many people.
He also led Australia to a 5-0 Ashes victory at home in 2013 and 2014. Clarke retired from international cricket in 2015 after the Ashes series in England.
Did You Know?
Clarke was nicknamed Pup because he was the youngest player in the team when he started.