Clarke can earn over one million dollars at IPL

Sydney, Mar 16 (ANI): Australia's skipper Michael Clarke could earn over one million dollars for a few weeks' work at the Indian Premier League.

Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly confirmed that his team Pune Warriors were keen to get Clarke, even though Australia's tour of the West Indies would allow him to play in only the final seven games of the Twenty20 competition in May.

"Nothing has been finalised yet. Michael Clarke will obviously be in the West Indies, so we have to sit with him," Ganguly said.

The Warriors are on the lookout for a big name to replace Yuvraj Singh for the tournament that begins on April 4.

Clarke would be unlikely to receive the full amount but could take a large share of it if he joins the Warriors in May after the Test series against the West Indies.

Ganguly said Clarke was aware of the Warriors' interest in him, and that talks about the Australian captain heading straight to the IPL from the Caribbean would continue in the next few days.

Ganguly told The Age last night that negotiations were not that advanced, although he left open the option that Clarke could even take on the captaincy at the IPL team if he joined for the fifth instalment of the lucrative tournament.

"Let's first see whether he is available or not. Then we'll take a call on the captaincy," Ganguly said.

Clarke would have to weigh up whether to rest after the Caribbean before Australia's next assignment, a five-match, one-day series in England starting in late June, or head to India for his first taste of the IPL. (ANI)