Michael Clarke, Hashim Amla on Pune radar

Michael Clarke may have steadfastly avoided being attracted to the Indian Premier League (IPL), but he may get yet another chance to play in the Twenty20 extravaganza. He seems to be part of the Pune Warriors’s scheme of things.

Having got the go-ahead from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to recruit players from outside the auction register, the Warriors have launched a search for big names and the Australia skipper is on their shortlist. It will be up to Clarke to join or not, but it is understood that efforts are being made to contact him. Clarke was not part of the auction list. There is also an outside chance for Ricky Ponting. The former Australia skipper could get a surprise offer from the Warriors management.

It is not just Clarke who is being targeted by the Sahara management. South Africa’s Hashim Amla is also a big favourite. Amla is currently playing in New Zealand, but he is likely to be available, like other South Africans, for the full length of the league.

The prolific scorer, who was shunned by IPL franchises in the past, could get a lucky break. He was not part of the auction register.

A lot will depend on Sourav Ganguly. The former India skipper is the mentor-cum-captain of the side and he is expected to take the final call. On Friday, he was in Mumbai, but did not have enough time (because of BCCI’s technical committee meeting) to discuss the matter with Sahara management. A final decision is expected to be taken in the next few days.

Meanwhile, Sahara are likely to go into trade with other teams. They are targeting players of Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore. The trading window has been kept open till February 29 and it is likely that some players from Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore may move to Pune.