Australia's Michael Clarke celebrates making 100 runs during the second day. Source: AP

The Australian captain overcame a fortnight of incredible emotional and physical pain to produce a century of courage that will live long in the memory of all who witnessed it.

Spread over two days, with injury and rain delays standing in his way, he brought up the century and kissed the badge on his helmet.

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128 v India, Adelaide, 2014.

A fortnight of unimaginable grief. A night of searing back pain.

A ton for the ages.

Clarke marked centre in Adelaide two weeks to the day after Phillip Hughes was felled at the SCG by a fatal bouncer. He resumed his innings a week to the day after delivering a beautiful tribute at his “little brother’s” funeral service in Macksville and just hours after a back injury looked likely to end his summer.

Michael Clarke reacts after playing at a delivery from Mohammed Shami of India during day two. Source: Getty Images

Clarke’s ability to deal with personal grief and a degenerative back condition to post a century against the odds will be discussed for decades to come.

The imagery is vivid. From his look to the heavens upon reaching 37 — the total that would have completed Hughes’ century at the SCG — to his winces of pain after resuming his innings with the assistance of painkilling injections on Wednesday, Clarke may very well be compiling the defining innings of his career.

Batting in Adelaide no doubt helped matters. Clarke has scored 1407 runs at 100.50, with seven centuries (including two doubles) and three 50s at the Adelaide Oval. This is his 10th Test at the ground.

110 v West Indies, Antigua, 2008.

Clarke endured an emotionally wrenching month in May, 2008.

His then fiancee Lara Bingle’s father, Graham, lost his battle to cancer while Clarke’s own dad, Les, battled Hodgkin’s disease. Clarke withdrew from the first Test at Sabina Park to remain in Sydney with both families.

When he eventually arrived in the Caribbean, he was brilliant. Clarke compiled a crisp, fluent innings of 110 at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

Clarke held his bat aloft, looked to the sky and wept openly after reaching his century. He needed an extra few moments to compose himself before resuming his innings.

Clarke looks skywards while celebrating his seventh Test century. Source: AP

“For me personally, it is my most special hundred, no doubt,” Clarke said. “Only because of the surroundings, the reasons behind it, the work I’ve put in.

“At home with personal stuff and for me to come out and be able to score a century with those emotions, for me it is my most special hundred.”

329* v India, Sydney 2012.

The 100th Test at the SCG will always be remembered for Michael Clarke’s amazing record-breaking knock. Ten hours, 17 minutes. 468 balls. 39 fours. 329 not out.

Michael Clarke during his unbeaten 329 runs. Source: News Limited

Clarke smashed the previous highest total at the venue — 277 by England’s Tip Foster, almost 100 years earlier.

He was in such control that the Australian record of 334 held by Mark Taylor and Sir Don Bradman was well within sight, and many thought he should power on to threaten Brian Lara’s world record 400.

He did, however, call an end to his marathon innings to give his team a better chance of winning, which they did.

It was an emotional Test for him, and 250 of his runs came on Jane McGrath Day, in a sea of pink to remember his former teammate’s deceased wife.

It is hard to imagine now but it was also a riposte of sorts — a year earlier fans at the Gabba had booed him.

“I’ve said it a million times. It’s all about respect, about continuing to earn the public’s respect. That’s all I ever wanted. People are going to dislike me, that’s life.

“But the most important thing for me, especially as Australian captain, you want your fans to respect you. So that’s all I ever ask for”.

There was no sign of him letting up in the greatest year of his career.

Clarke became the first man in Test history to score four double-centuries in a calendar year during that remarkable 2012. That included back-to-back double tons in November against South Africa.

161* v South Africa, Cape Town, 2014.

Clarke was peppered with bouncers by Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander which resulted in a fractured shoulder and various bruises to his forearm, elbow and shoulder. He was struck on the body no less than five times on the opening day.

Undeterred, Clarke batted on to post a brilliant, unbeaten century that set the platform for Australia to post a 245-run victory at Newlands and seal a famous 2-1 series victory.

Clarke goes down after getting hit by a delivery from Morne Morkel of South Africa during day one of the third test match between South Africa and Australia at Newland. Source: Supplied

“He’s got four, maybe five ice packs on him,” Shane Warne said. “He could have tried to hit his way out of trouble but instead he went the other way and said, ‘You can hit my body but you’re not going to get me out’.”

Such was the pain he suffered, Clarke was unable to sleep after the first day’s play having heading to stumps unbeaten on 92. He completed the Test, but the injuries sustained subsequently ruled him out of the Sheffield Shield final.

“Michael took a lot of blows for his team,” said South African bowling coach Allan Donald.

151 v South Africa, Cape Town, 2011.

This match is best remembered for Australia’s farcical second innings, in which they were bowled out for 47. In truth, the Aussies could well have recorded a similar total in their first dig if not for a memorable century from newly-minted captain Clarke.

The right-hander made a blistering 151 off just 176 balls, and seemed to be batting on a different pitch to his teammates.

Clarke celebrates his century during the first Test at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town on November 9, 2011. Source: AFP

While they crumbled around him — no other batsman made more than 50 — Clarke smoked 22 boundaries against the world’s best bowling attack, led by arch-nemesis Dale Steyn.

Steyn admitted the Proteas had targeted Clarke but on this occasion the Aussie batsman was simply too good, playing what many described at the time as his greatest innings.

By the end of the match Clarke’s heroics were a distant memory as the Aussies were embarrassed, losing the match by eight wickets.

151 v India, Bangalore, 2004.

There was an excited clamour for the precious young Pup, who emerged from Sydney’s western suburbs with a shock of crazy, waxed, blond hair and a glittering earring, to get a Test call up in 2004.

Michael Clarke raises his bat after completing his century on debut. Source: News Limited

Darren Lehmann virtually stood aside to usher Clarke into the big time and he was an instant hit. Down times might have followed, briefly, but his debut 151 as a 23-year-old against India’s superb spin attack of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh — he hit 18 fours and four sixes — was a seismic event for him and the game, as he ushered in a new generation of young fans.

“The players rejoice having him around,” said cricket writer Mike Coward. “They call him “The Pup” and, of course, he bounds around like a pup after a ball of string.”