Melbourne: Australian captain Michael Clarke was on Tuesday ruled out of IPL, starting next week, as he has been advised to take rest for at least seven weeks under the rehabilitation programme for his chronic back injury.
Clarke, who was bought by Pune Warriors for $4,00,000 in the IPL auctions early this year, underwent scans for his back and hamstring problems soon after he arrived home from India where his side suffered a humiliating 0-4 Test series whitewash.
Cricket Australia Chief Medical Officer Justin Paoloni said that Clarke would need at least 7-10 weeks rest as part of rehabilitation programme for the degenerative disc problem that has afflicted him since 17 years of age.
Clarke missed the fourth and final Test against India in New Delhi, which Australia lost inside three days.
Clarke's injury status and the rehabilitation programme meant that he will miss the April 3-May 26 IPL. It also laid to rest speculations that he could be coaxed to captain Pune Warriors in the cash-rich Twenty20 League by offering two million dollars following reluctance shown by Yuvraj Singh.