Australia captain Michael Clarke has announced he is to retire from international cricket at the end of the Ashes series, already lost at 3-1 with one to go.

And, according to former captain Ricky Ponting, perhaps eight of this squad will never play Tests again.

Ten members of the initial squad – which has been labelled ‘Dad’s Army’ by former Test quick Jason Gillespie – are aged over 30; Haddin, Harris, Rogers, Watson, Michael Clarke, Fawad Ahmed, Mitchell Johnson, Shaun Marsh, Peter Siddle and Adam Voges.

Clarke made the announcement in an interview with Sjhane Warne immediately after losing the fourth Ashes Test at Trent Bridge. It is believed Steven Smith will lead the side to Bangladesh.

Clarke had been adamant he would keep playing for some time before this match, but another dreadful match for himself and his team signalled the end, with the 60 all out being labelled an even grater humiliation than the 47 all-out he witnessed against South Africa in November 2011, just seven months after taking over from Ponting.

After making 12 hundreds in his first 30 matches as leader, Clarke managed only two in his last 13, and has not passed 50 in six Tests on this dual tour of the West Indies and England.

Smith has meanwhile emerged as the team’s outstanding batsman, and led the Test side in three matches against India last summer when Clarke was injured.