Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has revealed that he was involved in a serious road accident while travelling to the airport after completing his commentary duties for the IPL 2026 final. Clarke was on his way home when the vehicle he was travelling in collided with a semi-trailer, resulting in a frightening crash that could have had far more severe consequences.
The former Australian skipper escaped with only minor bruises, but according to him, the driver is believed to have suffered a broken leg in the collision.
Reflecting on the incident, Clarke said he was asleep in the car at the time and was jolted awake by the crash. He recalled the shock of seeing the extent of the damage after opening his eyes, with the front section of the vehicle lodged beneath the truck. He expressed gratitude towards the people who rushed to help at the scene, crediting their assistance and support for ensuring he was able to return home safely. The 45-year-old described it as a terrifying experience and one he would not forget in a hurry.
"Interesting trip home, to say the least," Clarke said on the Beyond23 Cricket Podcast. "Let me start by saying thank God for good people in India. That's why I made it home safely."
"I was asleep. I fell asleep after the game, travelling. Obviously, I wasn't driving. Then I woke up to virtually the front half of the car being under a truck," Clarke revealed.
{{/usCountry}}"I was asleep. I fell asleep after the game, travelling. Obviously, I wasn't driving. Then I woke up to virtually the front half of the car being under a truck," Clarke revealed.
{{/usCountry}}Providing further details about the crash, Clarke said he was told that the semi-trailer's brake lights were not functioning, leaving his driver with little time to react before the collision. He revealed that the impact was severe enough to leave the car completely wrecked, while he escaped with bruises and his driver appeared to suffer a leg injury.
"The driver explained to me that the brake lights on the truck weren't working. So my driver had hit the truck up the backside. Again, it was a big semi-trailer and our car had gone underneath," he said.
"The car's certainly written off," he added.
"I got away with some bruises, but I definitely think he had a little break in his leg. "I was really concerned because he was so scared. It wasn't his car, he works for the company, " Clarke said.
Also Read - Rohit Sharma precedent invoked by Kaif as Suryakumar Yadav set for T20I captaincy axe: 'I am not surprised'
Clarke grateful to BCCI
Despite the frightening experience, Clarke expressed his gratitude to the officials at the BCCI for their support in the aftermath of the accident. He also looked back positively on his time in India, saying he was fortunate to have been part of another successful IPL season.
"Everyone at the BCCI, everybody there, they've been checking in on him and they've been checking in on me. They've been unreal. So I'm very grateful for that. It was a complete accident. These things happen all the time, but for me it was more the shock because I was fast asleep and then woke up to see myself so close to being underneath a truck."
"Not the ideal way to get home, but I made my flight. I'm back here and I'm very fortunate to have been part of another awesome IPL campaign. I love it," he added.