Pakistan coach Waqar Younis is hopeful star spinner Saeed Ajmal will soon be cleared to return to the side following his controversial chucking ban.

“The last thing I’ve heard was that he’s going to go for a test very very soon,” Waqar told reporters.

Australia captain Michael Clarke says the recent crackdown on spin bowlers by the ICC has taken a “great bowler” out of the game. But Clarke has defended the ICC’s stance, saying the sport’s governing body has experts in place.

“I love to see all different characters play in this great game of cricket,” Clarke said of Ajmal, who has taken 178 wickets in 35 Tests.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has signed former Test offspinner Saqlain Mushtaq on a one-month contract to work with Ajmal to fine-tune his bowling action.

“He will be ready in the next two weeks to undergo an unofficial assessment in a biomechanical laboratory,” Saqlain told the cricinfo website last week.

“I am hopeful and more importantly he (Ajmal) himself is very optimistic and has done everything that is required.”

Clarke says he doesn’t know enough about the 15-degree rule to form a strong opinion.

The Australia skipper has discussed it with Australia’s spin consultant Muttiah Muralitharan, whose 15-day contract with Clarke’s side ended last week.

“I need to learn more about it,” Clarke said.

“There’s been some sort of crackdown on it.

“Whatever is happening, the ICC have got the right people in charge.

“I don’t know enough about it so I have to respect their decision, as long as it’s consistent across the board.

“These bowlers will go and get some work done and do what they need to do and they’ll come back.”

While some critics, such as Waqar, say a few months out from the 2015 World Cup is the wrong time to have a crackdown on bowling actions, Clarke said he wouldn’t have a clue.

“When is the right time? I need to learn more about that too,” Clarke said.

Clarke describes Ajmal as a lovely guy with an unbelievable record.

“I get on really well with him. He’s got me out a number of times but I’ve enjoyed those tussles,” Clarke said.