Clarke left the field on 60 after straining his lower back during the first day's play, but after receiving injections and treatment he marched out to the Adelaide Oval crease with Smith after a short rain delay.
Australia captain Michael Clarke made a surprise return from a back injury and teamed up with Steve Smith to carry the hosts to 405 for six wickets, before rain halted play on day two of the first test in Adelaide on Wednesday.
Clarke left the field on 60 after straining his lower back during the first day's play, but after receiving injections and treatment he marched out with Smith.
The pair resumed with the score at 354-6 and when Clarke had moved to 85 with Smith on 98, rain caused another delay late in the session.
India had captured a flurry of late wickets in the final session on Tuesday to give them hope of limiting the hosts, but their bowlers were unable to reap any benefit from the overcast conditions.
Also Read: Rains hault play; India fail to capitalize as Australia reach 405/6
Skipper Virat Kohli had lost the all-important toss and Clarke gladly sent his team to bat on a day of tributes for Phillip Hughes.
Though Clarke bravely returned to carry on his innings on Wednesday, he is far from being out of the woods as far as his injury is concerned, team's physio Alex Kontouris said.
Describing it as 'quite a significant back injury', Kontouris said Clarke had last sustained a similar back strain 18 months ago at the Champions Trophy tournament in England.
Clarke, who has battled a back condition throughout his career, had only returned to the side from a third hamstring strain in three months, and his new fitness worry will cast doubt on his ability to lead the team.
After the Adelaide test, Australia host India in tests at Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.
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