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Ashes not on Warne's radar

Shane Warne only has eyes for the Big Bash League © Getty Images

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Shane Warne has clarified his comments regarding a Test comeback, declaring that he is "not even considering" such a move in the lead-up to next year's Ashes.

Earlier this week, Warne said he had been frustrated with the way Australia's bowlers had let down their captain Michael Clarke during the loss to South Africa in Perth, and if Clarke asked him to make a comeback he was confident he would be able to play to Test standard.

Warne, 43, would have to make such a return through club cricket for St Kilda and Sheffield Shield cricket for Victoria, but he said on Thursday that was not on his radar.

Warne, the captain of the Melbourne Stars, was promoting Friday night's Big Bash League season opener between the Stars and the Melbourne Renegades, and he said he had spoken to Clarke during the week to clear up any confusion.

"I spoke to Pup on a few different matters. That's all been pretty cleared up about all that sort of stuff," Warne said. "I'm not asking Michael Clarke. My quotes were all about if you ask me could I do it, I have no doubt that I could. But it's a big commitment. There's grade cricket, there's state cricket, you have to go through that process and hopefully get selected.

"For me it's nothing that I'm even considering. I'm bowling as good as I possibly have for the last five or six years. At this stage right now if you ask me do I want to make a comeback? No. I'm concentrating on the Big Bash."

Warne also dismissed the idea that he could consider playing club or state cricket after the BBL, and said that his commentary duties would keep him busy. "At this stage with my calendar I've got the first Test of Australia vs India for ESPN in India [in February]," Warne said. "So at this stage there'll be no grade cricket."

Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. He tweets here

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