An Open Letter to Michael Clarke from a Cricket Fan

Dear ‘Pup’,

Right at the start of your international career, you made your presence felt on the slow tracks of Bangalore. The Cricket world was introduced to the supremacy of Michael John Clarke when you struck a majestic knock of 151 runs in your first test innings. Australia found a reliable and a genuine middle order batsman, rather a batting all-rounder in you.

By batting all-rounder, I meant no fluke. You are a genuine bowler too. In fact, you’ve got a fifer under his belt in ODIs. Not only that, you were a decent part timer and was known for picking essential breakthroughs. With 57 ODI wickets, coupled with 31 Test wickets, you indeed a priceless bowler for the Aussies.

In the era of change of Australian Cricket, when a number of cricketers retired from the Cricketing format, it was Michael Clarke who held the baton with the bat in the middle order. In fact, you were always the prime option during disaster management, whatever might be the case. In the World Cup of 2007, you were one of the strengths in the middle order. After the retirement of the big guns like Hayden, Gilchrist and others, you were the batsman that the team relied upon on a number of occasions. Quite invincibly you always stood up in the time of need and played majestic roles.

In fact, a player with 8628 Test runs at an average of nearly 50 with 28 Test centuries, coupled with 7981 ODI runs at an average of around 45 with 8 centuries speaks for himself. And undoubtedly, you do deserve a bow from the fans.

You also took the opportunity of leading the side after the retirement of Ricky Ponting from international Cricket. By this, you filled up the void of a leader in the Australian cricket. And quite obviously, you led as an example. You were a leader who would do his best, no matter if it is in the worst possible way to stand by his 10 team members. You were like a branch under which emerging talents in the likes of Steve Smith, Aaron Finch and others flourished.

After being defeated by England in the Ashes in 2012, you had the revenge taken in the sweetest possible way by whitewashing them in the very next series at Australia a few months later. In short, Michael Clarke defined aggression.

A lot were talked about you and the Australian team as a whole prior to the World Cup of 2015. Many even predicted Australia’s fate on the losing course even before the start of the World Cup. But you held your nerves and had the epitome of faith on your own self and even on the team as a whole. You had a thunderous start to the World Cup campaign. From then, the Aussies never looked back. In the end, with the aid of a fantastic match winning innings from you, the Men in Yellow lifted the Golden Trophy on 29^th March, 2015.

You showed the world that how one’s urge and zeal could make him to taste success. In spite of suffering from a number of back injuries, you had your focus retained on the World Cup and it paid off in the sweetest possible manner. This is what fighter Michael Clarke is known for. He is never ready to accept defeat. And similarly, he is never ready to leave an inch for the opposition to dominate.

Unfortunately, the ongoing Ashes series hasn’t fetched much of a sweet memories from your point of view. Still, you never accepted defeat and even had the audacity to fight despite being bundled for 60 runs on the board. This is what Michael Clarke is, a synonym for Never Say Die.

Yours sincerely,

A Cricket Fan