Shane Warne lining up shock return to competitive cricket with Australia's Big Bash League

Warne might replace Michael Clarke for Melbourne Stars in Australia’s BBL

Australian spin wizard Shane Warne is reportedly lining up a return to competitive cricket, Cricket Australia’s official website reports. Warne is likely to turn out for the Melbourne Stars, whom he featured for in Australia’s T20 competition previously for three years from 2011 before retiring from the game in 2013.

Warne is set to replace Michael Clarke after the former Australian skipper confirmed last month that he was going to give Australia’s T20 competition a miss, having only signed a two-year contract with the franchise earlier this year.

Warne called time on his international career in the ODI & Test format in 2005 and 2007 respectively but continued to play T20 cricket initially for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL and later on back in his homeland with the Melbourne franchise. His last competitive fixture came against the Perth Scorchers in early 2013 calling time on a career that lasted more than 22 years.

“I think the time is right for me to hang up my Big Bash boots - juggling business, family and commentary commitments across two continents is not easy," Warne said at the time, as reported by The Independent.

Warne has been busy with the commentator’s job since but has also turned up for friendly fixtures on occasions, most notably when he captained the Rest of the World side against a Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) side led by Sachin Tendulkar last year. Warne was expected to feature in the Indo-Australian pair's proposed All-Star T20 league to be held next year, but the recent development has left everyone thoroughly surprised.

The rumours were fuelled by Warne’s tweet last week that he was set to make a major cricket-related announcement soon.

The franchise has however stated that there has been no formal decision on the matter as of yet.

"There has been no formal approach made to Shane Warne to return to the Stars for BBL|05 in a playing or captaining capacity," a Stars spokeswoman said. "Shane Warne has been a friend of the Melbourne Stars since inception, but at this stage has no formal role with the club."

Twitter reacts

The news has attracted contrasting reactions from the social media.

@FOXCricketLive Good joke

— Antony Muir (@bradmanesque) September 14, 2015

@FOXCricketLive Could play for a couple of seasons

— Dan Stapleton (@Dan_Stapo) September 14, 2015