Australian captain Michael Clarke is confident his track record of managing a chronic back problem means he can get through the looming back-to-back Ashes series.
Clarke hasn’t been able to guarantee his health since he was first diagnosed with a degenerative back condition at aged 17, but the skipper says he’s no more vulnerable now than he was before the India tour where he broke down earlier this year.
The 32-year-old battled a hamstring problem throughout the Australian summer, before his back flared up badly in India in March, forcing him to miss the fourth Test.
However, that remains the only Test where Clarke has been sidelined due to injury in his 92-match career.
The 32-year-old has the most rigorous eight months of his career coming up, with June’s Champions Trophy followed by the Ashes campaigns in England and then Australia.
And Clarke, the lynchpin of Australia’s Ashes hopes, said on Wednesday he’ll be ready to play right through it.
“I’m confident it will be no different to how it has been throughout my career,” Clarke said.
“I’ve managed to play 90-odd Test matches and only missed one through my career so that’s a big part of why preparation is so important for me.
“I need to make sure I’m fit. I need to make sure I’m not carrying too much weight. I need to make sure I’m putting in the work to be fit in eight months or 12 months time.
“I’m really confident that with the work I’ve been doing that I will be.”
Clarke said the only difference between his preparation for the Champions Trophy and Ashes compared to past years is that Cricket Australia has been more involved.
Australian team physio Alex Kountouris has been monitoring Clarke’s program, which has included an intensive two-week boot camp on his Berrima property.
“My preparation in regards to last year has been very similar to this year,” said Clarke.
“It’s just been monitored extra closely by the Australian support staff to make sure I’m getting the strength I need in the areas I need it and to allow me to play not only one series to be well prepared to play the whole 12 months.”
Clarke, Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland and Southern Stars captain Jodie Fields were at North Sydney Oval on Wednesday to announce the Commonwealth Bank as the new Test team and Test series partner for the next four Australian summers.