Former Australian skipper Michael Clarke has backed out from the news reports suggesting that he could make an international cricket comeback to help his side cope up with the ball-tampering fallout.
The right-hand batsman took to Twitter to confirm that he had contacted Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland to help out the Test side following the suspensions of cricketers David Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft in the ball-tampering scandal. However, Clarke added that he did not make any “formal offer” to play cricket.
Clarkes’s comeback news was doing the rounds after a UK publication published an article hinting that he might return as Australian skipper.
“This article is out of control! Let me make very clear that I have not sent any formal offer to James Sutherland to come back and play cricket. I sent him a message as a friend offering to help Australian cricket in ANY way I could (this could mean mentoring the under 14s,” Clarke tweeted.
He added, “I won’t be batting in the nets in India in preparation for a comeback ?????? and as I have always said the game owes me nothing, I owe it everything. Have a great Sunday.”
Clarke retired from international cricket in 2015 after his 115th and final Test of the unsuccessful Ashes tour of England.
