Starting out as a flamboyant attacking batsman, a trait that earned him many accolades, Clarke has developed into Australia's most dependable batsman in the longer formats. Along with the talent and affability, Clarke is also blessed with leadership skills that made him a natural successor of Ricky Ponting. Having stayed away from the IPL for four seasons, the Australian captain joined the Pune Warriors India in 2012 as a replacement for Yuvraj Singh. He was retained by the franchise during the 2013 IPL Player Auction.