Michael Clarke gave a new dimension to the ball tampering saga by stating that he is ready come out of his retirement to take over as Australia’s Test captain if asked to do so.
Clarke’s comments came in the aftermath of the huge controversy that regular Australian captain Steve Smith found himself in for his involvement in the ball-tampering incident during the third Test match against South Africa.
Smith was slapped a one-match ban and fined 100 percent of his match fee for the disgraceful act which he later on admitted and was scrapped off Australia’s Test captaincy for the remainder of the third Test.
Clarke, 36, retired in 2015 after his 115th and final Test of the Ashes series against England and comments on cricket for Australia's Nine Network.
He told the broadcaster when quizzed whether he would assume the captaincy again if asked: "If I was asked by the right people, then I would think about my answer."
The 36-year-old said he was emotional about the scandal, expressing sympathy for Smith and his teammates but also slamming the incident as "blatant cheating".
"In my heart, I believe (Smith) has just made a really, really bad mistake. You know, I hope there can be a way around this, that he can continue to captain Australia," Clarke said.
"This is not about me at all. This is about Australian cricket and the future of Australian cricket and where these current players and this current structure and leadership sits.
"And my job is to make sure I can help this game come back from this."
Clarke added that he was "sitting completely on the fence" amid calls for Smith to step down or be stood down.
"My heart feels for him. If something is to happen to Steve Smith, then the captaincy cannot go to anybody that has been involved in this situation," he said.