Clarke's overseas challenge

The year 2012 was an outstanding one for Michael Clarke: he became the first batsman to score four double-centuries in Tests in a calendar year, and averaged a phenomenal 106.33 from 11 Tests, scoring 1595 runs along the way. In a single year, his career average jumped up by almost seven runs: at the end of the Boxing Day Test in 2011, his Test average was 45.81; exactly 12 months later, after the Boxing Day Test of 2012, his career average was 52.74.

In most parameters, Clarke's stats looked much better at the end of 2012 than they had at the beginning of the year. In one aspect, though, there was no improvement; in fact there was a marginal decline: his overseas average at the end of 2011 was 41.98; a year later, it was 41.05. That's because his only series abroad in 2012 was in the West Indies, where he scored 188 in six innings at 31.33. (In the home Tests that year he averaged 156.33, which is the highest ever by any batsman who has played at least six home Tests in a calendar year.)

Clarke's stunning 2012 has lifted him in stature as one of the batsmen going around today, but there're still a few boxes he needs to tick. There's little doubt that he has the skills to succeed against all types of bowling attacks, in all types of conditions: his debut century in India - 151 against an attack which included Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh - was a masterclass in how to use footwork and judgment against high-quality spin bowling. Seven years later, in Cape Town, Clarke was arguably even more authoritative in making exactly the same score, but this time against top-class swing and pace, subduing Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel in helpful seam-bowling conditions in a Test match which only lasted three days. Surely, someone who's conquered such high-class pace and spin in overseas conditions should similarly be able to conquer everything else, no matter the conditions.

However, in between those 151s (and even after the Cape Town performance), Clarke has been plagued by inconsistency abroad. For example, though he scored 151 in his first Test innings in India, his overall average in the country is only 38.11 in ten Tests, with the 151 accounting for 22% of the runs he has scored there. Omit the 151, and his average in India drops to 31.47. In his last six innings in India he has aggregated 65 runs. Similarly, his overall average in South Africa, despite that Cape Town effort, is 34.11 from ten innings, with that 151 accounting for 49% of his total Test tally there. Excluding his 151, Clarke's Test average in nine innings in South Africa is 19.50.

In terms of the home-away contrast, Clarke's numbers are very similar to another Australian batsman, also named Michael, who recently announced his retirement: Hussey finished his 79-Test career with a highly respectable overall average of 51.52, but his home average was 48% better than his away average. Clarke has plenty of cricket left in him, but at this stage of his career, his stats are remarkably identical to Hussey's.

Michael Clarke's home and away record in Tests

	Tests	Runs	Average	100s/ 50s
Home	47	4156	64.93	14/ 13
Away (incl neutral)	42	2833	41.05	8/ 12
Career	89	6989	52.54	22/ 25

Michael Hussey's Test career

	Tests	Runs	Average	100s/ 50s
Home	45	3794	61.19	14/ 14
Away (incl neutral)	34	2441	41.37	5/ 15
Career	79	6235	51.52	19/ 29

While Clarke's numbers suggest he is one of the best batsmen in home conditions, his overseas stats need to improve. Since the beginning of 2004, Clarke's home average of 64.93 is bettered only by Kumar Sangakkara's 68.17, with Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Mahela Jayawardene and Hussey being the others who average more than 60 (with a 2000-run cut-off). (Click here for the full list.)

However, away from home (and excluding Tests played in Zimbabwe and Bangladesh), Clarke's average is among the lower ones. With a 2000-run cut-off in Tests since 2004, only four batsmen have a lower average than Clarke's 41.52. Jayawardene and Hussey are the others who, like Clarke, have a very high home average and much overseas one. The difference between the home and averages is more than 20 for each of them - 24.57 for Jayawardene, 23.41 for Clarke and 21.93 for Hussey.

On the other hand, the three batsmen with the highest overseas averages during this period are all South Africans: Jacques Kallis (62.47), Hashim Amla (59.16) and AB de Villiers (59.12), which is a huge factor in South Africa's outstanding overseas record in these last nine years.

Lowest overseas* averages for batsmen since 2004 (Qual: 2000 runs)

Batsman	Tests	Runs	Average	100s/ 50s
Ian Bell	37	2315	36.74	5/ 16
Mahela Jayawardene	35	2433	36.86	6/ 8
Michael Hussey	32	2199	39.26	4/ 15
Ricky Ponting	43	3136	40.20	7/ 16
Michael Clarke	40	2782	41.52	8/ 12
VVS Laxman	44	3013	42.43	5/ 22
Kevin Pietersen	42	3015	42.46	8/ 12
Andrew Strauss	39	2992	42.74	11/ 8

* Excluding Tests in Bangladesh and Zimbabwe

Over his entire career, Clarke has pretty even stats against pace and spin, which isn't surprising given that his technique and footwork are pretty solid against both: he averages 52.92 against pace and medium pace, and 56.25 against spin.

Somewhat surprisingly, though, in India Clarke has a poorer average against pace than against spin. He has been dismissed seven times by seamers India, at a rate of 31.71 runs per dismissal; against spin, though he has been dismissed 11 times, his average is much better - 42.18.

The bowler who has troubled him the most in India is Ishant Sharma. Ishant has dismissed Clarke seven times in all, the joint-highest along with Dale Steyn. But while each of his three dismissals in Australia has cost Ishant 60.33 runs, in India he has dismissed Clarke four times conceding just 47 runs, an average of 11.75 runs per dismissal. While the focus during Australia's tour to India is largely on how the visiting batsmen tackle the Indian spinners, one of the interesting mini-battles could also be Ishant's attempt to extend his domination over Clarke in home conditions.

For Clarke, though, the focus will probably be more on collectively tackling the entire Indian attack, than focussing on any one bowler. It's almost inconceivable that the current Australian batting line-up will do well without substantial contributions from Clarke. If he consistently gets runs, the rest of the Australian middle-order can bat around him, post bigger totals, and make things more difficult for an Indian team which is already under pressure. Along the way, Clarke's overseas batting stats will improve as well.

Clarke against pace and spin in Tests in each country

Host country	Pace-runs	Dismissals	Average	Spin-runs	Dismissals	Average
Australia	2665	43	61.97	1481	20	74.05
England	685	17	40.29	242	2	121.00
South Africa	235	7	33.57	72	2	36.00
West Indies	233	3	77.67	123	5	24.60
India	222	7	31.71	464	11	42.18
New Zealand	200	3	66.67	97	2	48.50
Sri Lanka	67	2	33.50	147	3	49.00

Clarke against each bowler in Tests in India

Bowler	Runs	Balls	Dismissals	Average
Ishant Sharma	47	96	4	11.75
Harbhajan Singh	132	308	3	44.00
Zaheer Khan	120	236	3	40.00
Anil Kumble	195	327	3	65.00
Amit Mishra	52	121	3	17.33
Murali Kartik	30	68	1	30.00
Pragyan Ojha	6	32	1	6.00