Former Australian skipper Michael Clarke has undergone surgery on his face for skin cancer. The World Cup-winning captain has warned others to stay alert about their health, posting on Instagram with his photo. “Skin cancer is real! Especially in Australia. Another one cut out of my nose today. A friendly reminder to get your skin checked. Prevention is better than cure, but in my case, regular check-ups and early detection is key. So grateful that @drbishsoliman_ got it early,” Clarke wrote on the post.
This is not the first time the 44-year-old has been diagnosed with cancer. Earlier in 2019, Clarke revealed that he had skin cancer removed from his forehead earlier this week after getting diagnosed with three non-melanoma lesions in 2006. Clarke shared a picture with stitches on his forehead and a message for the youngsters. “Another day, another skin cancer cut out of my face… youngsters out there make sure you are doing all the right things to protect yourself from the sun,” he wrote.
Clarke had his first skin cancer removed in 2006 when he was still playing cricket for Australia, but had been getting regular check-ups done from an early age. Clarke has now accepted that his skin was just something he needed to keep a close eye on for the rest of his life. In 2023, Clarke joined the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation to raise awareness on the matter.
Clarke has played 115 Tests and 245 ODIs apart from 34 T20Is during his 12-year-long international career that began in 2003. Clarke scored 8643 runs, including 28 hundreds in Tests and 7981 runs in ODIs. Under his shrewd leadership in 2015, Australia won the ODI World Cup. The right-hander is known for his ability to play spin elegantly even in the subcontinental conditions, which made him a special talent being an Aussie, and he also had a sublime range of shots against the pacers and technique to tackle both swinging and seaming ball efficiently. In the recent past, Clarke has taken cricket-related duties off the field and has been seen in the commentary box during International cricket matches.
