Australian skipper Michael Clarke to undergo hamstring surgery on Tuesday

Michael Clarke

Melbourne, Dec 15 - Australian skipper Michael Clarke will undergo a career-defining surgery on Tuesday to repair his badly torn right hamstring, team doctor Peter Brukner confirmed on 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 One-Day International (ODI) World Cup on home soil from February 14 to 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.

"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 has also mulled over his future recently and admitted on Saturday 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 on 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 African speedster Morne Morkel while making 161 not out in the third Test in Cape Town in March, earlier this year.