Former Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke must love his cricket a lot. The retired Australian Test captain may be returning to first-grade cricket in February, and has once more refused to rule out wearing the baggy green. He believes he is in good shape ahead of a grade cricket comeback.

Next month, the 34-year-old cricketer will be playing at grade level for the Western Suburbs in Sydney against Randwick-Petersham on Feb. 20-21, and will also be offering his services to the Big Bash next summer. A Sheffield Shield return may also be on the cards.

According to The Australian, Clarke did not stop practising after his exit from international cricket four months ago. He had suffered a chronic back injury, played a disappointing Ashes series, battled poor form and buried his close friend Phillip Hughes in 2015. These may have taken a toll on Clarke and he declared his retirement. Moreover, his unpleasant relations with Cricket Australia, especially chairman of selectors Rod Marsh, may have also been a reason behind his retirement.

Now Clarke’s focus is definitely on the Twenty20 format, with the Australian great saying he misses being around his teammates and the teams he played in.

“I was so focused when I was playing international cricket on Test and one-day cricket that I said no to a lot of IPL opportunities ... Now I have the chance if I do enjoy it, that I can really focus on the shorter form and changing parts of my game to suit that form of cricket,” Clarke told The Sunday Telegraph while showing off his and wife Kyly’s newborn baby Kelsey.

If he succeeds is grade cricket, Clarke can join the international Twenty20 circuit like South Africa’s Jacques Kallis and England’s Kevin Pietersen. He can also be a part of domestic competitions around the globe, including the Indian Premier League and Big Bash League, reports the ABC.

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