Australian skipper Michael Clarke will undergo a career-defining surgery Tuesday to repair his badly torn right hamstring, team doctor Peter Brukner confirmed Monday. The outcome of the surgery could decide the fate of his playing career.
Clarke injured the hamstring during India's second innings on the fifth day of the first Test at the Adelaide Oval. Australia won the Test by 48 runs.
"Michael was assessed by a surgeon in Melbourne early this evening and will be undergoing surgery tomorrow to repair his injured right hamstring," Brukner said in a statement.
The team doctor said that hamstring injuries generally don't require surgeries but the damage suffered by the 33-year-old captain won't heal through the normal recovery process.
"Whilst surgery is not always required with hamstring injuries, Michael has substantial damage to a key part of the hamstring tendon and it was felt the best course of action was to surgically repair the damaged area," he said.
The recovery period post the surgery is uncertain and he may miss out on the 2015 World Cup One-Day International (ODI) tournament on home soil from Feb 14-March 29. Even if he recovers, he might be short on match practice and fitness that would be required in a rigorous tournament like the World Cup.
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"His recovery and the timing of his return to play will be dependent on the surgeon's advice and how well he recovers in the coming weeks," Brukner said.
Clarke also mulled his future and Saturday admitted that 'there's a chance I could never play again'.
"I don't know exactly how long I'm going to be out for. There's a chance I could never play again - I hope that's not the case and I'll be doing everything in my power to get back out on the park, but I think I've got to be realistic as well," Clarke said Saturday.
"You know, this is a different hamstring - I did my left hamstring, I've done the right side of my back, I've just done my right hamstring. Obviously I've got injury concerns at the moment, now I have to go back and do what the experts tell me to give myself the best chance of being fully fit."
Clarke had also sustained a fractured shoulder after being hit by South Africa bowler Morne Morkel while making 161 not out in the third Test in Cape Town March 1, 2014.