Clarke's Test career, framed
Michael Clarke retires from Test cricket
A dream debut: After being handed his baggy green in Bangalore in October 2004 by Shane Warne, the man who would become his great supporter and friend, Michael Clarke, 23, arrests an Australia slide with an innings high on maturity and flair. What does his father, Les, have to say of his son's 151? "It was one of those things that was just meant to be," he tells the Sydney Morning Herald.•Hamish Blair/Getty Images
More than a batsman: 6.2-0-9-6. Difficult pitch or not, those figures are pretty impressive from part-time left-arm spinner Clarke. And they reduce India from 182 for 4 to 205 all out in the final Test of his debut series.•Getty Images
A green and golden arm: What does a cricketer like Clarke do when he scores 1 and 0 in a Test match? He takes three wickets in an over to close out victory, of course. And that too in a charged atmosphere at the SCG, where ugly scenes lead to charges of racism against Harbhajan Singh.•Getty Images
Leading from the front: Fourteen of Clarke's 28 hundreds came as captain, and he averaged 52.41 in 46 Tests in charge - as opposed to 46.97 in 68 Tests as non-captain. In his first Test series as full-time captain, which Australia won 1-0 against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka, he scores his first hundred as the man in charge. •AFP
Obstructing the Indians: Later in the series, once again India take three quick wickets, and once again they run into Clarke. So frustrated are the visitors, there is a slightly ridiculous appeal for obstructing the field (in pic) with Clarke on 68. The frustration lasts much, much longer - Clarke goes on to make 210.•Getty Images
A year in the life of Clarke: After two scores of over 200 in January 2012, he does a repeat showing in November 2012 with a second double against the South Africans: 230 in Adelaide. How much did he end the year with? A modest 1595 runs from 18 innings at 106.33. •Getty Images
The darkest day in cricket: The death of Phillip Hughes left the cricket world shocked and Australia broken. Clarke was by the side of his close friend's family all through, culminating in a moving goodbye at his funeral on December 3, 2014... "Rest in peace my little brother. I'll see you out in the middle." •Getty Images
Back to the wall: Eventually, his deteriorating back coupled with a prolonged loss of form and Australia's poor showing in the 2015 Ashes all add up to too much, and Clarke announces that he will retire at the end of Ashes campaign, aged 34.•Getty Images
Soaking in victory: Clarke follows up with scores of 91 and 73 in the third Test in Nagpur as Australia thump India. And so, straightaway, pretty boy Clarke seals his spot in a brusque, all-conquering Australian team. (PS: don't miss Jason Gillespie's beer sleeve.)•Hamish Blair/Getty Images
Making himself at home: Clarke joins the exclusive club of players with centuries on debut both at home and away, with 141 in Brisbane in November, in an innings victory against New Zealand.•William West/AFP
Hate to love: Through his career, Clarke has been much maligned for many reasons, many of them unrelated to his on-field performances: the A-list celebrity lifestyle, a previous high-profile engagement to a model, the metrosexual avatar that does not fit in with the macho image of Australian cricket... Still, the captaincy came, and the runs flowed. (In pic: Clarke's wife Kyly poses for photographers.)•Getty Images
The silver lining: Clarke produces a masterful 151 before Australia capitulate for 47 the second time round, against South Africa in Cape Town. Captain Clarke is far from pleased, saying: "… 9 for 21. The lowest Test score ever is 26, so we needed No. 10 and 11 to save our backsides. I've never been more disappointed. I'm hoping that's as poor as it gets in my career."•Getty Images
More left-arm magic: To mark the end of his first season as captain, Clarke produces another five-for - this one to seal a three-Test series 2-0, in Dominica in April 2012.•AFP
Australia floored: One of the low points in captain Clarke's stint comes in India in early 2013, when his team is blanked 4-0 by MS Dhoni's, and there is plenty of off-field drama to contend with as four players are sent home for not doing their "homework".•BCCI
A battle of body and mind: Australia v India, Adelaide Oval, December 2014. The first match Australia play after the death of Phillip Hughes. Clarke, battling a bad back, scores 128 in two parts - he was forced to retire hurt on day one. Here he is seen making his way to the middle with 408 - Hughes' Test cap number - painted on the outfield.•Getty Images
The end: And so it is with 115 Tests, 8643 runs, 28 hundreds behind him that Clarke signs off at The Oval on August 23, 2015. •Cricket Australia/Getty Images
Lording over England: Clarke's habit of making fine first impressions continues as he almost gets on the Lord's honours board in his debut game in England. He might have missed the ton, but his 91 is pivotal to Australia's 239-run win in the first Test of a series that would commonly be tagged as the greatest of them all: the 2005 Ashes. •Getty Images
Clarke takes the reins: Clarke captained for the first time in Test cricket in the absence of the injured Ricky Ponting in the 2011 New Year's Test against England. It was no dream start here for Clarke though, as England won by an innings to take the Ashes 3-1. Of the 45 Tests he led in following that, Clarke, known for his aggressive captaincy, won 23 and lost 15.•Getty Images
Scaling a mountain: Clarke gets his top score in Test cricket, an unbeaten 329 against India in Sydney in January 2012, rescuing his team from 37 for 3. •Getty Images
Taming South Africa: Fast forward to November 2012. Clarke scores 259 not out against South Africa in Brisbane. South Africa must really be his favourite opposition, given his record against them: 14 Tests, 1487 runs at 67.59.•Getty Images
Bruised not beaten: A year on, Clarke braves a barrage of bouncers from Morne Morkel - one of which, it was later found, had cracked his shoulder - and goes on to score an unbeaten 161 to set up a series-deciding win. One that allows the Australians to snatch the No. 1 ranking off the South Africans.•Getty Images
The flip side: One of the big blemishes on Clarke's record is his captaincy stats in away Ashes matches: going into his final Test, his count stands at six losses in nine games in England.•AFP