Skipper Michael Clarke brings up the third century of the Australian innings at the Adelaide Oval. Photo: Getty Images

Michael Clarke dug in on Tuesday but could not make it to tea. On Wednesday he defied a serious back injury to honour his solemn pledge to Phillip Hughes and play on.

When the captain gingerly limped off Adelaide Oval on day one, there were well-founded fears he would not be seen in the middle again for quite some time.

Although racked with pain, Clarke not only proved those predictions wrong but reaffirmed his standing as one of the most courageous captains Australian cricket has seen by posting his 28th Test century, an innings of 128 from 163 deliveries. It prompted his wife Kyly to photoshop 20th Century Fox's logo in recognition of his heroics. One more and he will equal the world's most storied player, Don Bradman.

Clarke had battled a fractured shoulder for his previous ton – an imperious 161 not out in Cape Town – but this time he stubbornly and stoically battled emotional, mental and physical discomfort. The 33-year-old was nursing a heavy heart, frayed hamstrings and a dodgy back but still found a way to overcome some at times hostile and erratic pace bowling from India.

Advertisement

That Clarke, who is finding sitting down hard, made it out there at all spoke volumes of his character as well as the handiwork of team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris, who worked well into Tuesday night to get his patient back into shape.

Kountouris has been there for all of Clarke's injuries and only once in the player's 108-Test career has he not presented him fit for game day.

But never underestimate Clarke's resilience and determination. Only he knows how much pain he was in, though his frequent winces and grimaces provided an insight.

Whereas his partner for much of the day, Steve Smith, jogged off at the rain delays, Clarke walked. This was not among his prettiest innings, though it was arguably one of his most satisfying.

His footwork limited, Clarke was unable to play his natural game, as cricketers like to say. There was more wrist work than usual and some shots not normally associated with Clarke.

His back-foot slap over point for four against a short-pitched offering from Varun Aaron was a case in point. Shane Warne, commentating on Channel Nine, said it highlighted Clarke's skill.

On several occasions Clarke could have chopped on to his stumps but the cricket gods were smiling.

Mother nature wasn't, however, making him wait through three rain breaks, plus a delayed start, before his century.

None would have been more nerve-racking than the near two-hour wait he endured when on 98. The stops in play would not have helped his back much either, giving it time to stiffen up as he cooled down.

"In the breaks he was getting a bit of treatment, he was waking around, trying to stay as active as he could - sitting down's probably the hardest thing for him with his back," Smith said. "He was trying to stay quite active."

Clarke can be vulnerable against short-pitched bowling at the start of his innings, more so when nursing a sore back. The Indian quicks knew this, with Aaron hurling down back-to-back bumpers in the high 130s.

When it was Clarke's turn to mark his century, there was no exuberance like David Warner. Nor did he follow Smith by walking the 40 or so metres to the giant 408 painted on the outfield.

Instead, celebrations were muted, though no less poignant. Clarke took his helmet off, kissed the badge, hugged his batting partner and raised his bat to the crowd.

"He has done amazing over the last couple of weeks. It has been tough for all of us but he spent the whole time by Hughesy's family's side," Smith said.

"Just the strength and courage he has shown through those times was unbelievable.

"He must be mentally drained coming into this game but the way he played speaks the world of that guy. He came out here and tried to do something for Hughesy and he certainly did that."

This had been a century equal of any produced by his predecessors Ricky Ponting, Steve Waugh and Allan Border, only they never had to battle a career-threatening injury.

There will be be doubts if Clarke makes it to Brisbane but as he showed again it would not be prudent to write him off.