Former Australia captain Michael Clarke, who was part of the commentary team for the IPL 2026 season, has revealed that he was involved in a serious road accident shortly after the final match while heading to the airport. Describing the incident as a frightening experience, he expressed gratitude for escaping with only bruises.
Details of the Accident
Clarke, who was travelling as a passenger, said the vehicle he was in crashed into a semi-trailer and ended up partially wedged underneath the truck. Speaking on the Beyond23 Cricket Podcast, he said: "Interesting trip home, to say the least. Let me start by saying thank God for good people in India. That's why I made it home safely."
Woken by the Impact
The 45-year-old revealed that he had fallen asleep after the final and was jolted awake by the collision. "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 explained. According to the driver, the truck's brake lights were not functioning. "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. The car's certainly written off," he added.
Concern for the Injured Driver
While Clarke escaped with bruises, he feared that the driver had suffered a broken leg after the impact pushed against both their legs. "I got away with some bruises, but I definitely think he had a little break in his leg," Clarke said. He added that the driver was badly shaken and worried because the vehicle belonged to the company he worked for. "I was really concerned because he was so scared. It wasn't his car, he works for the company," he said. Clarke urged the driver to seek medical attention and hoped he eventually went to hospital.
Gratitude for Local Support and BCCI
The former Australian skipper reserved special praise for the local people who rushed to help and the BCCI officials who checked on both him and the injured driver. "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," he said. "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."
Despite the scare, Clarke managed to catch his flight home and reflected fondly on another stint around the IPL. "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.
