Oz physio says Clarke 'may have to take one Test at a time' to heal injury

Australian physiotherapist Alex Kountouris has said that medical staff will have to be firmer with national captain Michael Clarke and sometimes rest him from Test cricket, and he will have to take one Test at a time.

According to News.com.au, CA have instituted a rehabilitation program to prevent a career-threatening breakdown, but when asked if the skipper now faces being rested from Test matches, Kountouris was unequivocal.

Kountouris said that they would get Clarke up for the Ashes, one Test at a time, but they are hopeful he will get through the whole series.

He added that he was still very confident that they would be able to get a lot of cricket out of Clarke but there were going to be times when they would be firmer sand say that he cannot play a particular game.

Clarke has managed his degenerative disc since his teenage years but the problem has escalated dramatically this year, the report said.

Struggles with his back marred Australia's tour of India in March, with the 32-year-old forced to sit out the fourth Test in Delhi and relinquish the captaincy to Shane Watson, the report added.

Australia's best batsman has since missed the Indian Premier League and the entire current one-day series in India, the report further said.

Clarke appears a certain starter for the Ashes opener at the Gabba and his playing comeback will become official when he will be named in the NSW team to play Tasmania in the Sheffield Shield match at Blacktown, beginning on Wednesday, according to the report.