Michael Clarke is consulted on the field by Australia’s medical staff — Team Doctor Peter Brukner and Physiotherapists Alex Kountouris after hurting his back. Source: Getty Images

A busy summer that concludes with the World Cup on home soil followed by Test tours of West Indies and England seem a long way away for the 33-year-old Clarke.

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Clarke’s dramatic walk-off with his head hung low was the latest in a string of incidents pointing to a major fitness issue for the 108-Test veteran.

“He has had some injections in his lower back and the medical staff will see how he pulls up tomorrow morning,” a team spokesman said on Tuesday night.

Michael Clarke is assessed by Dr. Peter Brukner as David Warner watches on. Source: Getty Images

The skipper went into the Adelaide Test under an injury cloud after his breakdown in a one-day game against South Africa in Perth on November 14, which was his third hamstring strain in three months.

Following the tragic death of former Test teammate Phillip Hughes last month in a freak accident in a Sheffield Shield game, Australia coach and selector Darren Lehmann admitted he was desperate to have Clarke in the side for the first Test because of his off-field and on-field leadership skills.

However the gamble has backfired, with Clarke reaching an unbeaten 60 before making a jerking movement to avoid a bouncer and then pulling up very sore.

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Clarke consulted with team physio Alex Kountouris and Doctor Peter Brukner on the field and performed a series of stretching exercises before reluctantly walking off, slowly and painfully.

“Hopefully they’re just back spasms and we see him out there tomorrow (Wednesday) morning,” Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland told ABC Radio.

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Sutherland defended Australia’s decision to select Clarke for the Adelaide Test.

“You get the nod to play if you’re fit to play,” Sutherland said.

“He was looking very good and that would appear to show that he was fit to play.

“Let’s hope Michael is okay and we see him back on the ground very soon.”

Michael Clarke was in obvious discomfort. Source: Getty Images

Clarke could be in doubt for the second Test starting in Brisbane on December 17.

The four-Test series is scheduled to conclude on January 10, followed by a tri-series of one-dayers against England and India, and the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Australia’s World Cup Pool A matches from February 14 to March 14 are in Melbourne, Brisbane, Auckland, Perth, Sydney and Hobart.

That’s a lot of plane flights and while the World Cup is a big lure, Clarke may soon have to revisit the topic of a retirement from the white-ball game at international level if his injury dramas continue into 2015.

Michael Clarke was replaced by Steve Smith after retiring hurt. Source: Getty Images

Clarke trained like an eager teenager on Sunday and Monday, but match conditions it seems are a different story and his list of breakdowns in the second half of 2014 continues to mount.

Clarke and David Warner (145) added 118 for the third wicket before Clarke departed at 2-206.

“I think he had to go off for some scans. He didn’t look too good out there,” Warner told Nine.

It’s believed Clarke was taken for MRI scans, with Dr Brukner looking on.