Calcutta: Michael Clarke has not ruled out another IPL stint as he ponders over the next stage of his life following retirement from international cricket. 

The 34-year-old’s tenure as an international player came to an end after the final Ashes Test at The Oval, but he will continue his career this Australian summer as captain of Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League. 

Clarke secured a two-year contract with the Stars in April, which implies he will continue to play until just before his 36th birthday. 

The former captain says he will spend the next few weeks weighing up his options after a whirlwind end to his Test career that culminated in his fourth series defeat in England.

Clarke said the game will remain in his blood and did not rule out the option of another season in the IPL. “That’s probably one of the things I’ve got to think about over the next week or so,” the Cricket Australia (CA) website quoted Clarke as saying.

Clarke was asked about the prospect of playing in the world’s biggest T20 competition. “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. Kyly and I will go away for a week or so before I fly home. And that’s just going to give me some time to have a think about what I am going to do next.”

“I haven’t had a chance to press stop and have a think about things. Now I’ve finally got that opportunity, so I just want to make the most of it and spend some time with her and have a really good think.

“It’s exciting. Cricket has been in my life since the age of six when I started playing this great game. I think it’ll always be in my blood, but it’s exciting now to try some new things that I’m really looking forward to.” 
Clark, in the past, had turned down IPL offers to focus instead on international cricket. 

He played one season with the now defunct Pune Warriors in 2012, scoring 98 runs in six matches at a strike-rate of 104.25, but hasn’t played any form of T20 cricket since. 

He stepped down as Australia’s T20 captain in early 2011 having led his country to the final of the 2010 World Twenty20 in the West Indies. 

One of Clarke’s final acts as Australian captain was to join his teammates in sharing a drink with England players after the visitors’ big win at The Oval.