This article recounts Michael Clarke's incredible performance in the 2012 SCG Test against India, highlighting his leadership, batting prowess, and the context of Australia's rebuilding phase.
At the start of the summer, we asked our readers to vote for their favourite moments in the decades-long cricket rivalry between Australia and India .It's hard to think of a player standing taller while carrying a bigger weight than Michael Clarke in 2012. Australia was still rebuilding after its golden era and Clarke had taken over as captain a year earlier, for the final Test of an unconscionable 3-1 Ashes loss at home.
From the start of 2009 to the end of 2011, no less than 23 players made their debuts in the men's Test team, and Clarke himself had battled through significant form slumps in that time. Three-and-a-half months before start of the 2012 SCG Test, Clarke snapped a century drought that lasted 23 innings over more than 17 months. He followed it up with tons in Cape Town and Brisbane, but it was just an entree to what was to come.Having won the first Test and bowled India out for just 191 after tea on day one in Sydney, Clarke still found himself at the crease before the drinks break as David Warner, Ed Cowan and Shaun Marsh fell quickly to make it 3-37.Shortly after lunch on day two both had tons and Clarke already had 150 when Ponting fell for 134. By stumps, he'd found another willing partner, powering on to 250 alongside Michael Hussey. By the time Clarke declared at 4-659 on the third afternoon, Hussey had 150 and the skipper was 329 not out, admirably opting not to keep batting to reach the fabled Bradman-Taylor 334 mark. Clarke would go on to score 1,595 runs in 11 Tests in 2012, averaging 106.33 for the year and scoring three doubles and century to go with his SCG masterclas
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