Michael Clarke says his announcement he will retire from one-day cricket after Sunday's World Cup final will not – and should not – be an added source of motivation for him and his teammates to beat New Zealand.
The Australian captain revealed at his pre-match press conference on Saturday that the final at the MCG would be his 245th and final one-dayer.
The primary reason is that the 33-year-old is not confident his body would allow him to be in peak condition for the 2019 World Cup, but he also said he wanted his successor to have a full four-year period to mould the team ahead of a World Cup, just as he has had following Ricky Ponting's resignation four years ago after the team's quarter-final elimination in India.
"I think it's the right time for me and the Australian cricket team. I was very fortunate four years ago to get the opportunity to captain this great team and that was really good preparation for me leading up to this World Cup. I think the next Australian captain deserves this opportunity," he said on Saturday. "I don't think it's realistic that I'll be fit and healthy and available to play the next World Cup. I believe it's the right time."
Clarke said he did not consider Sunday's match to be any more significant because of his decision.
"It's a special game, there's no doubt about it, but it needs to be about the team – and I want it to be about the team," he said. "It's not emotion, it's skill that helps you win major games and major tournaments, and tomorrow will be no different. It's no more special because it's my last game."
The captain, who has struggled for continuity in one-day appearances due to injury, reiterated his priority was to remain a key player for Australia in Test cricket for as long as possible.
"I'm hopeful that it will prolong my Test career as well. That's obviously a priority for me, to be successful in the Test format, and I think by walking away from one-day cricket it probably gives me my best opportunity," he said.
Clarke said he had been pondering his one-day future throughout the tournament, which he was in danger of not participating in due to a serious hamstring injury he suffered in December, and eventually came to the realisation he should retire after returning home late on Thursday night after Australia's semi-final victory over India.
"I've thought over the past few weeks if there was going to be a chance I was going to be able to make it to the next World Cup and as soon as I answered that question in my own head I think that decision was made," he said.
The departing captain only disclosed his intentions to family. He said he told Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland, chief selector Rod Marsh and coach Darren Lehmann about 12.30pm on Saturday, an hour before his public announcement, and his teammates about 10 minutes before he told the media of his imminent departure.
Clarke said it had been "an honour and a privilege" to lead Australia in one-day cricket.
He declined to suggest a successor, but acknowledged that Steve Smith, who stood in for Clarke as Test captain this summer and for one one-dayer, had produced some key performances batting at No. 3.
Besides Smith, the other candidate for the captaincy is likely to be George Bailey, Clarke's vice-captain for this World Cup. Bailey led Australia in the opening match of the tournament but was squeezed out after Clarke's return from his hamstring injury for the February 28 match against New Zealand.
