Injury rules out Clarke from IPL

Sydney, March 26 (IANS)

Michael Clarke has been ruled out of the IPL.

Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke will miss next month’s Indian Premier League (IPL) because of his chronic back injury that forced him to sit out the fourth Test against India.

Cricket Australia (CA) said Tuesday that Clarke will need 7-10 weeks of rehabilitation to get back to cricket and will be fit for the Ashes.

Clarke’s intensive rehabilitation program will be overseen by the CA medical team and back specialists in Australia. Clarke was to lead IPL franchise Pune Warriors.

CA medical officer Justin Paoloni said Clarke underwent scans and reports showed that his current lower back injury is an exacerbation of previous issues he has had with his spine.

“As always, we need to manage this carefully as there are potentially serious consequences with further aggravation. He still has pain with basic activities and is not back to full function as yet,” said Paloni.

Paloni also said that a hamstring injury has also been a cause of concern for Clarke.

“He also has a hamstring injury that has been a concern for most of the summer and will complicate his return. Michael is having intensive rehabilitation for both his back and hamstring but is still 7-10 weeks away from returning to training and playing. We are confident that it will not affect his Ashes preparation but will know more over the coming weeks,” he said.

Clarke, 31, has been suffering from the chronic back injury since he was 17, but the fourth Test against India in Delhi was the first time the injury forced him out of a match.