Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has announced he will take an extended break from cricket that will rule him out of leading the Melbourne Stars during the 2015-16 Big Bash League.
Clarke stood down as Australia skipper and retired from international cricket at the end of the recent Ashes series in England.
The 34-year-old signed a two-year deal to captain the Stars in April to replace Cameron White, who joined neighbouring Twenty20 side Melbourne Renegades.
Speaking to Triple M , Clarke confirmed that he would be stepping away from the game for the foreseeable future, although he expressed a desire to defer his Melbourne Stars deal.
"I've got a two-year deal at the moment so hopefully it all turns out okay and I come back and play next year, but even if they decide they don't want me to play, hopefully I can help the club have success in another way," he said.
Clarke also revealed that he is pondering the prospect of playing in the Indian Premier League - the world’s richest Twenty20 competition that he has only competed in fleetingly due to international commitments.
Having stepped down from Australia’s T20 captaincy in 2011, Clarke played six matches for the now defunct Pune Warriors in the 2012 IPL - the last time he competed in cricket's shortest format.
"That's probably one of the things I've got to think about over the next week or so," he said. "What I'm going to do there, am I going to look at that as an option?
"I'll spend the next few days trying to sum that up. See where my mind is at, see where my body is at and have a good think about it."
David Hussey was initially slated to take on the Melbourne Stars' captaincy during Clarke’s expected absences on international duty and could now fulfil the role on a full-time basis.
Melbourne Stars have so far declined to comment.