His career path had already been mapped; when he made the Victorian primary schools team in grade six, he determined that he'd be a cricketer. It was not so much a matter of who for - Ajax, Victoria, Australia - just that he would play, and play. The youngest-ever Premier Cricket centurion grew up fast, and then with an at-times frustrating stagnation. That he stood at the crease looking out at the Junction Oval boundary a few years later and wondered how it could have been such a struggle to hit the spinners that far on debut is a metaphor for a batsman who has come to an absolute understanding of his game and can only wonder, ''If only I knew then what I know now.'' At 16 he toured Pakistan in an under-19 team captained by Brad Haddin, and he reflects that he wasn't good enough, or physically cut out, to dominate. Allan Border was coach, and Klinger appreciates that his selection was an investment in the future. Something else he didn't notice at the time was the worried faces of his parents and grandparents, bidding him a nervous airport farewell. ''It was surreal, I'd never been anywhere like the subcontinent before. We played on the Test grounds in Lahore and Karachi … I just enjoyed the whole experience.''

He doesn't remember being run out in his first two innings, only the smells, sounds and sights of another world. When the young Pakistanis visited at the end of 1997, he made a century in Canberra in a team featuring Marcus North, Dom Thornely and Shaun Clingeleffer, who all carved out significant careers. The captain was Tim Anderson, who graduated from Geelong to running global development with the International Cricket Council, but without a first-class appearance to his name. Other contemporaries included Brett van Deinsen, Paul Sutherland and Dan McLauchlan. ''I don't know the ins and outs of what happened to them,'' Klinger says. ''Some people get lost in the system, but at the time, they were all great players.'' The under-19 World Cup in South Africa followed, and in 1999, he was captain to Michael Clarke's vice on the tour of England.

He can't recall them discussing leadership; says that at that age and time, the coaches were in charge, while the captain tweaked things on field and sought only the respect of his peers. Driving a ''team culture'' was like decision reviews and the Big Bash - stuff of the future. Snatches of that time stay with him, like facing Brad Williams and Simon Cook at the Albert Ground batting for the Cricket Academy against Victoria's second XI, making 90-odd against serious fast bowling, and earning his Victorian debut soon after. His under-age experience left such an impression, Klinger reckons he could name every teammate from every team. ''They were just such great trips,'' he says. He looks forward to a beer with James Hopes after Queensland games and Marcus North post-battle with WA. ''You keep those mates and those stories.'' Early in his Victorian career came two sliding-doors moments. Notoriously, Paul Reiffel declared when Klinger was 99 not out in Hobart, a nudged single shy of a maiden first-class century. Then, in the shield final, he claimed a blinding last-day slips catch off Reiffel's bowling and Stuart Law's bat, and was mortified that his word wasn't deemed good enough to send Queensland's captain on his way for a first-ball pair. He reflects that the 99 didn't bother him at the time, only later did he realise the pressure it might have released. ''[But] it wasn't so much the 100, just the couple of years later I wasn't scoring enough runs to stay in the team.''

The catch taught him the premium placed on experience. Klinger knew he took it above the grass, but with inconclusive replays and Law standing his ground, he and Victoria were denied. He wonders how it would have played out had Matthew Elliott or Brad Hodge been the catcher, not a 19-year-old kid. ''Or me now, compared to [young South Australian batsman] Travis Head.'' That Victorian 100 finally came in late 2005, but at 27, his career had reached a crossroads. A move to South Australia, as Victoria picked up Chris Rogers, was a win for all. ''The last six or seven years, I know a formula that works for me - I know if I do this day in, day out, continually add to it to expand my game but still have a strong base, I know I'll be successful.'' His time under a red hat has produced runs in all forms of the game, two titles in his two-summer captaincy, and returned his name to where it was all those years ago - in the national selection conversation. When Jamie Cox came to him after his first two seasons with a plan to make him captain, Klinger was torn. He'd crossed the border with no leadership aspirations and knew how much Graham Manou enjoyed the job. ''I knew it would hurt him not being captain; it put me in a bit of a tough position.''

He and wife Cindy had made a point of embracing Adelaide, and his teammates and the public responded in kind. The Redbacks won the Big Bash - the state's first title of any sort in more than a decade - and the following year, the one-day competition. They went to the Champions League in South Africa as rank outsiders and made the semi-finals. ''People bag T20, but for a cricketer, it's unbelievable … it opens up scope for so much,'' he says, remembering a ''bunch of kids, with only Graham Manou who'd played for Australia'', going from nobodies to taking on the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis and Zaheer Khan. ''All of a sudden the South Australian Redbacks were known around the world.'' Klinger rates it the most remarkable four weeks of his career. Personally, it made him a man in demand. Kochi Tuskers gave him an Indian Premier League contract, he was picked up by Worcestershire for part of the 2012 English County season, and the following summer Gloucestershire director of cricket John Bracewell surprised him during dinner in Acland St, mid-shield game. He took a phone call and hung up as the new club captain. While Bracewell's wife, Bernadette, bedded down Cindy and their children, Baillie and Summer, her husband told Klinger the dressing room was his to do with as he wished. He rehearsed his first speech to the group 100 times, ''then just said what came to me anyway''. He scored more than 1000 first-class runs for the summer, averaged 87 in the one-day competition and more than 50 in Twenty20, yet left a mark as much for the example he set at training, his consideration of every teammate's needs, the advice he gave without preaching. ''I think they enjoyed what I brought as a leader.''

The Klingers will go back next winter; the need to be portable is another demand of a job he knows isn't easy on a family, whose understanding and support humbles him. Living away from family, little things can become harrowing dramas. ''There's going to be a time, when cricket's finished, when I give Cindy a lot of time back.'' Looking back, he cherishes the time John Scholes put into him at the start, helping him manage expectations, shielding him from media hype. He's talked cricket with his father and brother and welcomed their supportive, never pushy, input. He sees the encouragement of the Jewish community - who would love to see him play for Australia - as wind in his sails. ''Not everyone has that - I've had that extra bit of support from a community who have backed me, and I've never once seen it as extra pressure. I know there's another group of people besides my family and close friends who are following my scores and have a smile on their face when I get runs, and are probably as disappointed as me when I don't.'' The game has met his expectations, ''and beyond''. Over a long period, he has scored consistently well and helped his team win domestic one-day games, and he still sees this as a window that could open to national honours. ''I'm hoping that might mean something when they select the one-day team [this summer].'' Loading

The 2015 World Cup has become his major goal; Australia A selection in England over the winter indicated he's not far out of the Test frame either, but Klinger is realistic that a player of his age needs to outstrip his rivals. His Australian prospects were thrown at him while having a beer with old mates in Melbourne before a recent shield game. He meets it with an Oscar Wilde ''better to be talked about'' shrug. He knows of the ''Michael Klinger for baggy green'' Facebook page, ''but I'm certainly not liking it''. George Bailey's words about over-30s finally getting a chance resonated: that if you don't take it, you're not going to get another one. It doesn't cower him. ''I may be biased, but I think if I get given three one-day games for Australia, I'll play 50.''