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Michael Clarke was in discomfort due to hamstring trouble against West Indies in Sydney © Getty Images
Australia's captain Michael Clarke has complained of a recurrence of the hamstring trouble that he has carried through the summer since suffering a muscle strain in the Hobart Test last year.
Clarke showed signs of discomfort during his innings of 37 against West Indies in the fourth ODI at the SCG, which the hosts won on the way, stretching to a 4-0 lead in the series.
He was absent from his usual post-match media duty, and a Cricket Australia spokesman said that Clarke "asked to have his right hamstring assessed by medical staff" in the rooms after play.
The problem is an unwelcome one for Australia on the eve of their tour of India, with the team's other leading batsman David Warner himself recovering from a fractured thumb that forced him out of the West Indies series.
Given the short time between this match and the final fixture in Melbourne on Sunday, Clarke appears likely to miss the series closer, leaving the vice-captain Shane Watson in line to lead the team in their last home engagement before the tour of India.
Clarke picked up the hamstring injury while batting in the first Test against Sri Lanka at Bellerive Oval in December, then nursed it through the remaining two matches of the series, making a century in Melbourne, before resting from the first two ODIs against Sri Lanka.
He is not yet considered in any doubt for the start of the India tour, but his value to the team and the recurring nature of the hamstring problem will be the cause for some alarm among the national team's medical team.
Australia face an unforgiving schedule for the rest of 2013, including four Tests in India, the Champions Trophy and Ashes series in England, another visit to India for a series of limited-overs matches, then another five Ashes Tests at home.
Earlier this week Clarke was picked up by Pune Warriors in the IPL auction for his nominated reserve price of $400,000.