Lehmann doubts Clarke has played last game for Oz

Australia cricket team coach Darren Lehmann is hopeful of injured captain Michael Clarke's return as he doubts that the skipper has played his last game for the team.

However, Clarke's immediate playing future is impossible as the skipper attempts to take his place in the World Cup, which starts in Australia and New Zealand on February 14.

Clarke was gloomy after Australia's 48-run first Adelaide Test win over India on Saturday after being forced off with a torn right hamstring, Sport24 reported.

It has been a frustrating time for the Australia captain after he overcame a left hamstring injury to play the opening Test against India, but suffered a flare-up of his degenerative back condition on day one.

Clarke retired hurt but returned to the crease the next day and completed a courageous and well-received hundred. The skipper then injured his right hamstring while fielding on the final day, with scans confirming that he would miss the rest of the four-Test series.

Clarke remains in serious doubt for the limited-overs World Cup and is also fearful that it could be even more serious than that. He admitted that there is a chance he might never play again.

However, Lehmann believes Clarke would lead Australia again. He said that he believes the skipper would be back, adding that one has to keep their fingers crossed and they would wait and see.

Clarke's chronic back and hamstring woes could flare up unexpectedly as they did on Saturday in Adelaide and Lehmann and fellow selectors must weigh up not only on the skipper's current state of health in light of the same.

Team physio Alex Kountouris said before the Adelaide Test that it was a hard issue to manage with Clarke. He said that once Clarke has done it once, twice, the risks goes up of a recurrence, and added that how they minimise those risks is difficult.