Michael Clarke to retire from Test cricket after Oval Test

The legendary Australian player and captain Michael Clarke has announced that he will retire at the end of the ongoing Ashes series. Australia has already lost the series against England by 1-3 on third day of the 4th Test.

Clarke was reportedly not in the mood of retiring until the Trent Bridge Test, where his team lost the match by an innings and thus, adding one more to the consecutive series loss in England.

34-year-old Clarke has been playing Test cricket for past 11 years and believes that he was physically and mentally exhausted by now and should leave when it is time. Clarke himself confirmed the news soon after his team lost their 3th Test in the ongoing series. This was Australia's first loss by an innings against England in 30 years.

"The boys have worked hard, I don't blame anyone in that change room. As a team we haven't performed as well as we needed to be beat England, and as a captain I certainly haven't led from the front."

Michael Clarke will play the final Test match of the series as Captain against England at the Oval in London. The current Ashes series has not done any good for Clarke and he is now at his all-time lowest Ashes average of 16.71. He indicated that it is time for him to move on and make place for someone better. Former England captain Michael Vaughan supported Clarke's decision saying that he was not surprised with the decision.

Clarke has scored 8605 runs in his career that include 28 centuries and 27 half centuries. A big applause for one of the best Cricket players of all-time.