Michael Clarke could lose lucrative commentary role in India as costly fallout continues
Michael Clarke is in danger of losing a six-figure role as the hits keep on coming following his wild night out in Noosa.
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Michael Clarke is in danger of losing a lucrative commentary role for Australia’s upcoming tour of India amid the continued fallout from his public altercation with girlfriend Jade Yarbrough in Noosa.
The Daily Telegraph is reporting the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) is reviewing its plans to include the 41-year-old cricket great in its commentary team for the highly-anticipated tour, which gets underway on February 9.
The upcoming commentary gig is worth an estimated $150,000 for the four Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
Clarke was due to feature on the series coverage as the Australian voice of the global commentary feed alongside Matthew Hayden.
However the BCCI is reportedly ‘fickle’ with its appointments and has dismissed prospective commentators in the past for as little as a difference of opinion with the board.
Fox Sports will televise the series in prime time in Australia, but has no say in the makeup of the global commentary team and therefore declined to comment on the matter when contacted by news.com.au.
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The loss of the commentary role would be another brutal blow for Clarke, who’s already seen a prospective sponsorship deal with a skincare brand get ripped up within hours of the footage of his altercation being published on Wednesday evening.
News.com.au has also contacted Clarke’s major sponsors, R.M. Williams, Hublot and Ribco for comment on the matter.
The former Australia Test captain is expected to address the incident when he returns to the airwaves for The Big Sports Breakfast on Monday morning.
A spokesman for Tabcorp, the company that owns Sky Sports Radio, producers of the Big Sports Breakfast, told news.com.au “the company doesn’t comment on the personal matters of its employees”.
Meanwhile, Clarke’s planned trip to India in February was referenced by Yarbrough in their screaming match, as she hinted that Clarke had asked his ex Pip Edwards to accompany him to India.
“You want to send her to India with you?” Yarbrough can be heard screaming in the video.
“‘You’re the love of my life Pip, come with me to India’.”
On Wednesday night, Clarke told The Daily Telegraph: “I accept full responsibility for this altercation and am shattered by my actions.”
The fight began when the two high-profile couples and their celebrity accountant friend Anthony Bell were at dinner at a beachside restaurant.
Watch the video of the incident here.
It’s understood Edwards and Yarbrough had been in contact, sparking the confrontation with Clarke.
The footage shows a shirtless Clarke limping in a park surrounded by a group who are trying to calm the situation, while a furious Yarbrough screams at him then slaps him across the face.
“You f**ked her on December 17 … You f**ked her, you’re a f**king dog,” she screams.
Clarke responds: “Baby you’re wrong, you’re wrong.”
The screaming match took place in front of multiple people in a park, about 9.30pm, and was so confronting that an onlooker could be heard yelling “there’s children over there” as they encouraged the group to take the fight elsewhere.
The bystander who filmed the fight said he was first alerted to the drama when he spotted Clarke and Stefanovic in a heated exchange.
Queensland Police issued a statement on the incident on Thursday afternoon.
“Queensland Police are investigating an incident between a 30-year-old woman and 41-year-old man depicted in footage at Lions Park on Gympie Terrace in Noosaville earlier this month,” police said on Thursday evening.
“As this matter on January 10, 2023 is under investigation, the Queensland Police Service is unable to provide any further comment.”
Originally published as Michael Clarke could lose lucrative commentary role in India as costly fallout continues
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