My body hasn't felt this good in 15 years: Michael Clarke

Former Australia captain Michael Clarke, who is currently embarking a fresh chapter in his cricketing career, says that his body felt 15 years younger after a spell away from cricket as he prepared for a comeback at the DTC Hong Kong T20 Blitz. Clarke will turn out for the Kowloon Cantons in the four-team tournament which will be played in Hong Kong.

Injury-plagued Clarke said nine months without cricket and its rigorous travel, as well as a revamped diet and training regime, had given him a new lease of life. The 35-year-old batsman played his last T20I in 2010 but he will test the waters for a stint in Australia’s Big Bash League at the four-team Hong Kong event this weekend.

Clarke, troubled by chronic back problems, retired after last year’s Ashes series but less than a year later, he will make an experimental hit-out for Kowloon Cantons.

“I’m going to play these couple of games and see how I go, see if I enjoy it and then assess after that,” he told AFP in Hong Kong.

“Right now it’s about coming here and having some fun. If I enjoy it, I’ll assess when I get home what my exact plan will be.”

“My body’s going really well. My body hasn’t felt this good in 15 years. Let’s hope I’m saying that on Sunday night after four games of cricket!” He added.

Clarke has been in discussions about playing for the Sydney Sixers in the popular Big Bash, and a steady stream of his countrymen have padded their bank accounts and fan bases in India’s money-spinning IPL.

The 35-year-old’s presence in the tournament will provide the T20 tournament with huge credibility which in turn help the tournament grow into a viable stop on the global T20 circuit.