A collection of quotes over the years on Michael Clarke, the batsman and the leader
ESPNcricinfo staff
"It seldom came easy for Pup, with his back-related injuries forcing him to work harder than most, especially over the last five years or so. He has given his heart and soul to being the best cricketer he could have been. His statistics and longevity are right up there with the very best cricketers of all time" - Ricky Ponting Getty Images
"Looking at his legacy to this team, it's <a href="http://www.espncricinfo.com/the-ashes-2015/content/story/910739.html" target="_blank">aggressive, entertaining cricket</a>, and that's a great thing to have said about you. That's what the game's about at the end of the day, to have people a) enjoy playing and b) enjoy watching" - Mark Taylor Getty Images
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"I have much to thank Michael for. His first Test as captain was my first as a player after I'd been selected with limited first-class experience, and he was great to me. Before the Test he told me, 'no matter what happens I've got your back'" - Nathan Lyon Getty Images
"Someone in the crowd said `he's the new Doug Walters' and he's probably not far away from that" - Steve Waugh's prescient take on Clarke after batting alongside him and watching him score a century in a Pura Cup match against Queensland in March, 2003 Getty Images
"To Michael, from the England team, you were a fantastic player, fantastic leader. You should be remembered as a great captain" - Alastair Cook PA Photos
"The standards in the Australian team when Ricky Ponting was captain were as high as I can ever imagine. Michael, he has been able to raise the standards again. Raise the fitness, the skinfolds, the standards of play" - Michael Hussey Getty Images
"He's the best player of spin I bowled at and a bloody good bloke to boot" - Graeme Swann Getty Images
"Been hit in the ear, jaw, head, fingers. So it would have been easy to play a shot to try to stop that, but he hung in. It looks like he said 'you know what? Over my dead body, you have to keep hitting me if you want until I can't stand up'" - Shane Warne on Clarke's courageous resistance during the Cape Town Test in March 2014 Getty Images
"He had to rebuild the Australian team from scratch and to do so in such a short time speaks volumes for his ability as leader" - Sachin Tendulkar AFP
"We were in Guyana many, many years ago and I got off at the airport and this guy asked if I could take him into the city. I asked him if he was a reporter. It was Michael Clarke. We became very, very good friends since then and it's lovely to see the way that he has gone on" - Brian Lara Getty Images
"We saw during the tragic circumstances around Phil Hughes' passing how strong a leader he is and the way that he carried himself. We were certainly in awe of how he was able to handle himself during that time" - Brendon McCullum AFP
"He has managed the pressure really well. Just the positioning [of the fields], the way he used the bowlers, he was fantastic" - Kevin Pietersen on Clarke's captaincy in Australia's 5-0 Ashes win in 2013-14 Getty Images
"He was in tears at the presentation ceremony, but can look back on a decorated career. He has played the game with style and elegance and has been a fine player and captain for a long time" - Michael Atherton, after Australia's loss in Nottingham cost them the 2015 Ashes Getty Images
"He has been an excellent captain. His legacy is going to be as a captain who played a very positive and aggressive brand of cricket. He never let the game drift. I enjoyed his captaincy tactically" - Allan Border Getty Images
"He may be a very modern guy, a metrosexual, but on the field he plays it tough and expects the best from himself and his team-mates" - Glenn McGrath on Australia's Julio captain Getty Images
"He is unselfish and very loyal to his mates. That is the Clarke that I know, the real Clarke, not the one of recent rumours" - Damien Martyn, after Australia lose the 2015 Ashes Getty Images
