Michael Clarke remains in doubt for the fourth Test against India starting on Friday because of a chronic back injury, the skipper’s involvement in the IPL also under the microscope.
With an Ashes series in July, Cricket Australia will anxiously monitor the 31-year-old master batsman’s participation in the lucrative Twenty20 tournament.
Clarke’s Pune Warriors play their opening IPL match on April 3, just eight days after Australia’s four-Test series against India is scheduled to end on Tuesday.
Clarke was hoping to train at full pace later on Thursday in Delhi in a bid to prove his fitness for the dead-rubber fourth Test, with his side trailing three-nil.
“There is still doubt of me pulling up fit enough to play tomorrow,” Clarke told reporters on Thursday.
Asked about his IPL commitments and their possible impact on his ability to lead Australia in the Champions Trophy one-day tournament in June followed by back-to-back Ashes series, Clarke said he would take it one step at a time.
“It is about concentrating on this Test match and trying to get up for that and then I will make a plan after that,” Clarke said.
Clarke’s IPL commitments fall during his annual leave.
“We certainly wouldn’t put Pup at risk for what we’ve got ahead of us,” coach/selector Mickey Arthur said.
“Ultimately be Mike’s decision, with some help from our medical team.”
Test cricket’s leading run-scorer of 2012 has battled a degenerative back complaint since the age of 17.
Clarke says he was not considering the prospect of not playing on Friday.
“That (positive thinking) is what I’ve done my whole career and that’s what has got me up so many times,” he said.
“I don’t think I would have played too many Tests if every part of my body felt 100 per cent.”
Clarke hopes to avoid missing a Test through injury for the first time in his 92-match career.
The western Sydney product’s latest back episode flared up during a fielding drill before day four of the third Test in Mohali as he threw the ball while off balance.
Clarke said he wasn’t looking at his surgery options.
“I’ve been able to manage it this long,” he said.
“I don’t see any reason why I can’t continue to manage it for the rest of my career.”
Clarke batted down the order at No.6 in obvious pain and scored 18 on Monday on day five of the third Test.
“I felt I couldn’t move down the wicket because I was so restricted,” he said.
“It’s slowly improving.”
Vice-captain Shane Watson is set to become Australia’s 44th Test skipper if Clarke is ruled out, just a week after Watson was suspended for one match for disciplinary reasons.
