ICC

Nothing to see here... Just legendary Aussie spinner Shane Warne​ getting bitten on the head by a snake! 😳 https://t.co/gauJjEljP8

— 10 Sport (@10SportAU) February 18, 2016

There were few challenges across Shane Warne's hugely successful cricket career that he couldn't handle.

But the legendary leg-spinner was faced with an altogether different task on Thursday while taking part in Australia's version of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!

Warne had already successfully negotiated his way through a box of rats when he was asked to dive headfirst into another container full of snakes in search of the stars he needed to earn his camp a meal.

Unsurprisingly, one anaconda in particular didn't take kindly to his intrusion, lashing out and biting the former cricketer on the head.

Despite a previously acknowledged fear of snakes, Warne fought through admirably, completing the challenge before receiving first aid from a medic.

G'warn, Warnie!

[Twitter, h/t news.com.au]

Australia's quest to regain their status as the world's top-ranked ICC Test side continues on Saturday, when they take on Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand in the second Test at Christchurch.

The visitors arrive with a 1-0 series lead after running out easy victors at the Basin Reserve, winning by a comfortable margin of an innings and 52 runs.

Here's a look at the odds for Saturday's Test, as well as a couple of recommended bets. All odds are courtesy of Oddschecker (accurate as of 1.45pm GMT on Tuesday):

Australia to win	11/10
New Zealand to win	3/1
Draw	5/1

Hazlewood to Finish as Top Australian Bowler—7/2

Since shrugging off injury issues that blighted the early part of his career, Josh Hazlewood has become a central figure in the Baggy Greens' cricket in the last 12 months.

The 25-year-old fast-bowler displayed his quality and ruthlessness in Wellington, as he gathered a four-wicket haul in the first innings to dismantle the New Zealand top order. 

Tom Latham, Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum and BJ Watling were all sent on their way by the right-armer as Hazlewood took 4-42 in an impressive 14 overs. 

In the second innings it was the turn of Nathan Lyon to take four wickets to add to his already impressive career statistics.

Cricket Australia's communications manager revealed further data behind Lyon's bowling success: 

.@NathLyon421 Now has 191 wickets in his 53rd test at an average better than 33. Exceptional for an off-spinner. #bowledGaz #NZvAUS

— Malcolm Conn (@malcolmconn) February 14, 2016

Hagley Ovel is regarded as one of the fastest and bounciest wickets on New Zealand soil, per Andrew Wu of the Sydney Morning Herald, and in-form Hazlewood has a strong opportunity to repeat those figures once more. 

Australia to Win the Series 2-0—11/10

Darren Lehmann's side utterly dominated the Black Caps last time out, forcing New Zealand to suffer the humiliation of a home innings defeat for the first time in almost two decades, per ESPN Cricinfo. Steve Smith is also yet to suffer defeat in the 10 Test matches in which he has skippered the side. 

Additionally, not only are Australia's bowlers producing magic, their batsmen are also contributing huge totals. Adam Voges will arrive at the second Test following an innings of 239, per ESPN Cricinfo. They can also call upon Usman Khawaja, who has struck 644 runs in his last six innings as Australia's No. 3, per Hijam Raju Singh of the Times of India. 

Despite it being McCullum's farewell series, per Mark Geenty of Stuff.co.nz, the New Zealand attack of Tim Southee and Trent Boult have lacked any reply with the ball, and the pair are likely to suffer a similar fate when they pitch up on Saturday. 

McCullum's final showing in international cricket has perked the emotions of some fans: 

Sounds cliche but BMac and the way he's led this New Zealand team over the last few years has reminded me why I love cricket #NZvAUS

— Amy Lofthouse (@_amylofthouse) February 11, 2016

With one Test win already in the bank, Australia will be desperate to seal a series win to help them prevail in their attempt to return to the summit of the ICC Test rankings. Fortunately for them, they hold a fast-bowler in Hazlewood in fine form and two key batsmen in great touch.

Another Australian masterclass should be expected in the second Test, with the wicket aiding the visitors' hopes further.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twLa8fBJA9g

Shane Warne had an interesting theory to share on Monday.

The Australian cricket legend is currently taking part in the country's version of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here, when he offered his original take on evolution.

"If we’ve evolved from monkeys, then why haven’t those ones evolved?" Warne queried. "Because, I’m saying, aliens. We started from aliens."

But the former leg-spinner wasn't done there, as he went on to explain his thinking to fellow contestant Bonnie Lythgoe:

Look at those pyramids, Bonnie. You couldn’t do them. You couldn’t pull those ropes, huge bits of brick and make it perfectly symmetrical. Couldn’t do it. So who did it? Whatever planet they’re on out there, they decided that they were gonna start some more life here on earth and study us. Maybe they turned a few monkeys into humans and said, ‘Yeah, it works.'

Interesting theory, Warnie...

[YouTube: Ten Insider]

New Zealand will fancy their chances of securing their first Trans-Tasman Trophy win over Australia since 1989 in the forthcoming two-Test series, and judging by their performances in the ODIs, they’re up for it.

Of course, few sides seem to react better when their backs are against the wall than the Baggy Greens, and Steven Smith’s men would love nothing better than turning over their neighbours on their own patch.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, hold on to your hats. The biggest series of the year is about to commence!

Let’s take a look at how the two sides are shaping up ahead of the opening clash in Wellington.

Date: Friday, 12 February

Time: 10.30 a.m. local (9.30 p.m GMT Thursday)

Venue: Basin Reserve, Wellington, New Zealand

Live Stream and TV Info: Sky Sports (UK), Sky Sport (New Zealand),TenSports (Pakistan), Fox Sports (Australia), Neo Cricket/Star Sports (India), Ten Sports (UAE), NowTV (subscription required).

Weather: Overcast but dry, according to BBC Weather, with a high of 22 degrees Celsius expected during mid-afternoon.

Overview

After last year's Stuart Broad-led debacle at Trent Bridge, the general consensus is that Australia are going to face a similar test on the seaming wickets of New Zealand.

And while the inability of the Baggy Greens' batsmen to handle these testing conditions has been exaggerated, it's fair to say their pre-series preparations aren't completely ideal.

Steve Smith, Nathan Lyon & David Warner inspect Basin Reserve pitch!#NZvsAUS #NZvAUS #AUSvNZ #cricket #Wellington pic.twitter.com/jgQhlI0tJL

— Aleena علینہ (@AnmolAleena) February 10, 2016

In the last couple of weeks, they've been whitewashed by the Indians in T20 cricket and also lost an ODI series against the Kiwis 2-1.

What's more, with the colour of the ball turning to red, the lack of a single warm-up longer-form match on the tour means many of Australia's regulars haven't played a first-class game for some weeks.

Throw in the fact that none of their squad has previously played a single Test in New Zealand and alarm bells could be ringing in the Aussie dressing room.

In reality, the Kiwis will know they are up against a powerhouse batting unit that has plenty of experience in all conditions backed up by a solid pack of seamers and an underrated spinner.

Also, apart from the recent T20 series defeat to India, Australia have demolished all teams in their path including the Black Caps who toured Down Under just a few months ago.

Finally, whilst some of their players have been absorbed in the limited-overs formats, possible starters such as Peter Siddle, James Pattinson, Nathan Lyon, Adam Voges and Peter Nevill have all played a round of Sheffield Shield cricket.

So maybe the Aussies aren't quite as undercooked as it initially seemed.

In terms of squad news, the major surprise was the inclusion of uncapped paceman Chadd Sayers who has 145 wickets in 38 first-class games at an average of 24.82.

He'll compete with the recalled Jackson Bird, the evergreen Siddle and the combative Pattinson for two places in the bowling attack alongside spearhead Josh Hazlewood.

Expect the red-hot Usman Khawaja to force himself into the batting lineup somewhere, too, with Joe Burns set to continue as opener.

One more thing. Not that they need any more motivation, but a win in this series mean Australia will reclaim the No. 1 Test ranking.

Somewhat incredibly, New Zealand have only beaten Australia eight times in Test cricket, and although they won a one-off Test in 1990, their last genuine series victory over their neighbours occurred in 1986.

However, partly due to their current form, home advantage and the presence of several world-class performers in a deep squad, many have been tipping them to improve those numbers in the next week or two.

Great way for this man to finish with the Chappell/Hadlee trophy in his hand! pic.twitter.com/HhMONruYLX

— Craig McMillan (@cmacca10) February 8, 2016

They will have to make do without Ross Taylor, though, who misses the game due to an ongoing side strain.

And the absence of promising spinning all-rounder Mitchell Santer due to a bruised foot is a further blow.

But going back to that strength in depth, Henry Nicholls, who has taken to Test cricket like a duck to water, will slot into the middle order while Mark Craig takes over spin duties.

More promising is the news that Tim Southee's return from injury has gone well with the swing bowler delivering 23 overs in a recent Plunket Shield game.

Assuming he gets the green light, his new-ball partnership with Trent Boult could be the key to this game (and series).

Sadly this clash will be the legendary Brendon McCullum's penultimate game and also his world-record 100th consecutive Test since debut.

The bombastic batsman knows only one way to bat, and who would bet against this ultra-attacking approach coming up trumps one more time?

We will find out whether his side can come up trumps against the might of the Australians over the next few days.

Test head-to-head record and latest meeting

These old foes have contested 55 Tests in total with Australia currently holding a 29-8 lead over the Kiwis while there have been 18 draws.

The last meeting between the sides was the inaugural day-night Test at Adelaide in November with the Baggy Greens winning a low-scoring contest by three wickets to claim a 2-0 series victory.

Test form

New Zealand: WWLDLW

Australia: DWWWDW

Squads

New Zealand

Brendon McCullum (c), Corey Anderson, Doug Bracewell, Trent Boult, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Mark Craig, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling/Luke Ronchi (wk), Kane Williamson

Australia

Steve Smith (c), Dave Warner, Jackson Bird, Joe Burns, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Peter Nevill (wk), James Pattinson, Chadd Sayers, Peter Siddle, Adam Voges

 

Key Players

New Zealand

While Kane Williamson and Trent Boult will also play huge roles, New Zealand would love it if Martin Guptill can take his white-ball form into the Test Arena.

The 28-year-old has been on fire of late, putting the likes of Sri Lanka and Pakistan to the sword and looking like a world-class opening bat. But his average in the sport’s most demanding format is just 30... whether this is Guptill’s true standing or a misnomer, we’ll find out over the next few days.

Australia

In the midst of his more bombastic colleagues, the presence of Nathan Lyon is often overlooked on the cricket field.

However, his statistics—185 wickets at 33.42—are impressive among non-subcontinental slow bowlers. Throw in his propensity to take key wickets and ability to keep it tight if circumstance dictates, and the off-spinner is one of the most important players in the Australian side.

Given the Black Caps' lack of proven class in this department, Lyon’s contribution will be vital. 

Prediction

The first morning of the first day will be crucial. Whoever can use the assumed green-top conditions to the full and cause maximum damage with the new cherry could gain a significant advantage.

With the weight of expectation seemingly on New Zealand, who would bet against Australia taking an advantage and inflicting a painful blow on their hosts?

India and Sri Lanka will be looking to fine-tune their games ahead of the Asia Cup and Twenty20 World Cup over the course of this three-match series, which begins in Pune, India, on Tuesday.

While the hosts, after completing of hat-trick of back-to-back T20 wins over Australia, should be full of confidence, their opponents endured a difficult tour of New Zealand recently and are missing some big names.

Is the result of this clash and the series a foregone conclusion? Or can Dinesh Chandimal's men spring a huge surprise?

Let's take a look at how the two sides are shaping up ahead of this contest.

Date: Tuesday, 9 February

Time: 7.30 p.m. local (2 p.m. GMT)

Venue: Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium Pune, India

Live Stream and TV Info: Sky Sports (UK), Star Sports (India and Sri Lanka), Supersport (South Africa), Hotstar (streaming - subscription required).

Weather: According to BBC Weather, an unblemished scorcher of a day should continue into the night, leaving the path clear for an uninterrupted game.

Overview

Prior to the T20 series of their recent tour Down Under, India were ranked eighth in the world in the format, according to the ICC's official rankings.

One whitewash later—a feat that has never previously been inflicted on the Australians at home in 140 years of history—and MS Dhoni's men are in top spot and looking good ahead of the T20 World Cup.

First, however, they must see off the Sri Lankans in this trio of games that are essentially rehearsals for the bigger occasions to come.

With this in mind, India have given Virat Kohli, who scored 199 runs in the T20s with Australia and was named Man of the Series, a well-deserved rest.

His absence will likely give either Ajinkya Rahane or Manish Pandey a chance to impress.

In another interesting selection, Bhuvneshwar Kumar missed out on the Asia Cup and World Cup squad, but he has been selected here seemingly to keep match fit in case Mohammed Shami, who has been named in both squads despite being injured, breaks down.

T20 Series vs Sri Lanka: Virat Kohli rested. Delhi left-arm spinner Pawan Negi included. MS Dhoni to lead #INDvsSL https://t.co/D4mWihSQRF

— CricketNDTV (@CricketNDTV) February 1, 2016

Finally, Pawan Negi, an all-rounder who bowls slow left-arm and has been in impressive form domestically, has received his first call-up and will act as an understudy to Ravindra Jadeja.

These mostly cosmetic changes aside, India's team is essentially the same one that comprehensively outplayed Australia, and confidence must be flowing through their ranks.

Unfortunately, the same can't be said of Sri Lanka, who, after enduring a torrid tour of New Zealand, will be forced to field a weakened team here.

A recent hand injury to Tillakaratne Dilshan has seen the veteran join Angelo Mathews, Lasith Malinga, Rangana Herath and Nuwan Pradeep in the treatment room...if there is room that is.

India here we come.. Will be a great challenge. Looking forward for it. #INDvsSL pic.twitter.com/JQuzeCNFoO

— Chamara Kapugedara (@chamarakapu) February 6, 2016

Of the squad that unsuccessfully contested the two T20s against New Zealand, just eight have managed to make the trip to India.

Of course, a more positive spin is that this will give Sri Lanka's youngsters more opportunities to test themselves and gain experience.

None more so than Dilshan's 22-year-old replacement Niroshan Dickwella, who has been in red-hot form domestically, scoring 189 runs in his last six innings at a strike rate of 173.

Also, the rollercoaster progress of raw paceman Dushmantha Chameera continues to be fascinating.

At times unplayable, at times wild and expensive, the 24-year-old could be the next big thing in world cricket, and how he handles the hostile conditions in India will be revealing.

Despite these rays of hope and despite Sri Lanka being the current World Champions in this format, this clash seems like men against boys, and a one-sided contest could be in store.

T20i head-to-head record and latest meeting

Whereas India and Sri Lanka have contested an incredible 149 ODIs between them, they've only met six times in the T20 format. 

So far, honours have been even with three wins a piece, and in their last encounter, the final of the 2014 T20 World Cup final, the Sri Lankans ran out comfortable winners, chasing down 130 with 13 balls to spare.

T20i form

India: WWWNLL

Sri Lanka: LLLWLL

Squads

India

MS Dhoni (capt & wk), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Ashish Nehra, Harbhajan Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Pawan Negi.

Sri Lanka

Dinesh Chandimal (capt & wk), Seekkuge Prasanna, Milinda Siriwardana, Danushka Gunathilaka, Thisara Perera, Dasun Shanaka, Asela Gunaratne, Chamara Kapugedera, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilhara Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Binura Fernando, Sachithra Senanayake, Jeffrey Vandersay, Niroshan Dickwella.

Key Players

India

With the rise-and-rise of Virat Kohli, this could be a perfect opportunity for MS Dhoni to reassert his authority over the side ahead of the World Cup. Although the cool-headed wicketkeeper has chipped in with some useful late-order flourishes of late, as evidenced by his haul of just 111 runs in his last eight innings, a major knock has been missing. Expect that to change against a weak-looking Sri Lankan side.

Sri Lanka

Given the dearth of experience in his side, Dinesh Chandimal needs to lead from the front if Sri Lanka are to be competitive here. Surprisingly, the 26-year-old has scored just one international half-century from 25 T20i innings, but a Test average of 45.87 speaks volumes. Will this be the series that Chandimal establishes himself on the world stage?

Prediction

Games of T20 cricket can be decided on extremely narrow margins, but most of the cards are in India's hands here. With home advantage, key players in form and confidence flowing from winning three-in-a-row against Australia, a rude awakening could be in store for Sri Lanka in Pune.

#England's Chris Jordan likes fielding. What a catch. https://t.co/uIueM1jw0u #SAvENG

— Unibet (@unibet) February 6, 2016

Chris Jordan showed once again why he's considered one of the best fielders in international cricket with a brilliant catch to dismiss South Africa danger man AB de Villiers in Port Elizabeth.

The hosts were ticking along nicely at 205-3, with de Villiers already on 73 and ready to kick on, when Ben Stokes tempted him with a full delivery in the slot.

The world's No. 1-ranked one-day batsman attempted a huge heave towards cow corner, only for Jordan to run backwards and take a stunning diving catch in the outfield.

South Africa finished on 262/7 from their 50 overs, leaving England requiring 263 to win the match and go 2-0 up in the five-match series.

[Twitter] 

New Zealand will seek to avenge last year's World Cup final defeat when they lock horns with Australia in Auckland on Wednesday...and it promises to be a cracker.

For the most part, both sides have enjoyed rampant summers and are clearly in form and high in confidence. 

But who will strike the first blow in this three-match one-day international series? Let's take a look at how the two sides are shaping up ahead of this mouth-watering clash.

Date: Wednesday, 3 February

Time: 2 p.m. local (1 a.m. GMT)

Venue: Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand

Live Stream and TV Info: Sky Sports (UK), Sky Sport (New Zealand), TenSports (Pakistan), Fox Sports (Australia), Neo Cricket/Star Sports (India), Ten Sports (UAE), NowTV (subscription required).

Weather: According to the BBC Weather a mix of clouds and sunshine should mean an uninterrupted game is in store with highs of 24 degrees Celsius expected.

Overview

New Zealand's series with Sri Lanka and Pakistan, and Australia's tussles with the West Indies and India have seemed like the quiet before the storm. And the hurricane is about to strike land at Eden Park on Wednesday.

Both sides have enjoyed bountiful summers (although Australia’s shock whitewashing by India in the Twenty20 series was a reminder that the current ODI world champions are human) and match up well on paper.

Star-studded batting lineups, prolific individual scorers, players throughout the order capable of clearing the ropes at any time, talented and well-stocked seam attacks, and grey areas in the spin department.

However, one major difference between the sides is their preparation for this series.

While New Zealand have been playing non-stop for the last couple of months in home conditions on typically seam-friendly surfaces, Australia will go into this first ODI without even playing a warm-up game.

True, the Aussies have been playing relentlessly themselves, but most of their games have been on their own utopian batting tracks—far from the potentially green tops on offer on the east side of the Tasman Sea.

Sure, a number of players such as David Warner and Steven Smith missed the end of the India series to spend more time acclimatising, but the preparations still seem inadequate.

The power in the Australian batting lineup certainly seems adequate, though. So much so that even the red-hot Usman Khawaja has been unable to force his way into the squad, per Andrew Wu of the Sydney Morning Herald.

Additionally, despite the absence of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood returns from a break to lead a pace attack boasting hungry up-and-coming players like Scott Boland and late-blooming professionals like John Hastings.

Had a great chat with the young leggie Adam Zampa after the SF win Friday night, we spoke about strategy, fields & alignment. Watch him go..

— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) January 24, 2016

The most interesting selection though is that of Adam Zampa. The young leg spinner took 12 wickets at 22.5 in the Big Bash League and, having usurped Nathan Lyon, he has a chance to prove himself ahead of the T20 World Cup.

Lack of match practice aside, this well-drilled, powerful-looking Australian team are still the world's number one ODI team according to the ICC rankings.

For New Zealand, Brendon McCullum returns aiming for a glorious swansong, although Tom Latham is on stand-by should the skipper fail a fitness test.

Thanks for all the concerns. Everything is as good as it can be just a few broken bones. Great win for the boys! 🐼 pic.twitter.com/S9A2pZqETa

— Mitchell McClenaghan (@Mitch_Savage) January 25, 2016

And while Mitchell McClenaghan has joined Ross Taylor and Tim Southee on the sidelines, the Kiwis have proved to possess incredible in-depth strength of late.

Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill have been scoring runs for fun. And the presence of Corey Anderson, Colin Munro and Luke Ronchi should keep the spectators just across the boundaries on their toes.

The Kiwis' most obvious area of weakness is in the spin department with Mitchell Santner set to handle slow-bowling duties. He can expect to be put under heavy pressure by the Australian batsmen.

So, with plenty of questions which need to be answered, sit back and relax and enjoy this fascinating series.

ODI head-to-head record and latest meeting

New Zealand and Australia have contested 127 ODIs altogether, with the latter holding a startling 86-35 advantage so far.

The last meeting between the sides was the 2015 World Cup final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, which the hosts won comfortably largely thanks to some inspired bowling by Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Johnson.

However, a meeting between the same teams earlier in the competition went the other way with the Black Caps edging a low-scoring thriller at the same venue that this contest will take place in.

ODI form

New Zealand: WNWWNL

Australia: LWWWWW

Squads

New Zealand

Brendon McCullum (c), Corey Anderson, Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Grant Elliott, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Henry Nicholls, Luke Ronchi, Mitchell Santner, Kane Williamson, Tom Latham (cover).

Australia

Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), George Bailey, Scott Boland, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, John Hastings, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa.

 

Key Players

New Zealand

With the two batting lineups similarly matched, Trent Boult's battle with the Australian top order will be crucial in deciding this contest.

Bowling with pace, skill and control—at both the start and end of the innings—the left-armer is the Kiwis' outstanding bowler and spearhead of the attack. What's more, with 14 wickets in seven white-ball outings already this year, he's clearly in form.

Australia

Even in a side packed full of potential match-winners, David Warner's numbers at the top of the order are incredible.

In his last 14 innings across all formats, the Aussie vice-captain has blasted five tons—including an epic knock of 254 against the Kiwis at Perth—and two half centuries.

Surprisingly, the fiery left-hander has only played four ODIs against New Zealand and averages just 22. Expect this number to rise rapidly over the next week or so.

Who will win?

Australia will start as favourites, but New Zealand have a great chance to go 1-0 up in the series given the tourists' lack of acclimatisation.

True, the conditions aren't as different as those offered by the Middle East or India, but the challenge of facing a swinging and seaming ball without a single warm-up match can only help the Black Caps.

Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has officially announced he will return to cricket, and he intends to start at the grade level.

Fox Sports News confirmed the report and shared this quote from the 34-year-old, explaining why he's coming back:

NEVER SAY NEVER: Michael Clarke announces comeback to grade cricket saying he misses the game that "is in my blood" pic.twitter.com/UyPLROAcBY

— FOX SPORTS News (@FOXSportsNews) January 30, 2016

Clarke retired from cricket in 2015 after Australia's loss against England in the Ashes.  

As Veeran Rajendiran of CricTracker reported, Clarke was approached by his hometown club, Western Suburbs, to play against Randwick-Petersham on February 20-21.

As it turns out, the veteran had continued training even after announcing his retirement, and he missed the game badly. He plans to use the opportunity of playing grade cricket to see whether it could lead to bigger things, like the Big Bash League, county cricket or even a return to Test cricket:

To step away from cricket for four months has been great, I have found my body has enjoyed it and my mind has really enjoyed it too.

At the same time I’ve ­realised the game of cricket is in my blood. I’ve been looking for an outlet to replace what I’ve chosen to walk away from.

So I’ll start with playing this grade game for Western Suburbs and see if I miss it as much as I feel like I’m going to.

If I do, the option is there to train the entire winter and then we’ll see what happens.

Clarke retired from One Day cricket after the 2015 World Cup and built a legacy as a top Test player, appearing in 115 matches and averaging 49.10, per ESPN Cricinfo. He led the Aussies to the No. 1 Test ranking and was the top-ranked Test batsman in the world at his peak.

In 2012, he became the first man to score four Test double-centuries in a calendar year, per BBC Sport, and he guided the Baggy Green to a famous whitewash win in the 2013-14 Ashes series. 

But chronic back issues started to take their toll on Clarke, and while the 2015 World Cup win was undoubtedly one of the highlights of his career, Australia's defeat in the 2015 Ashes marked the end of a difficult couple of years for the team and Clarke himself, per ESPN Cricinfo.

Pup will turn 35 in April, which is still relatively young for a middle-order batsman, and perhaps some time away from the game was all he needed. We'll find out whether he's still the same old prolific hitter in February and whether his return to grade cricket will lead to a full-time return to the sport.

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