Kane Richardson puts his back into IPL debut South Australian cricketer Kane Richardson has headed off to play in the IPL. KANE Richardson says he has shaken the back injury that threatened his big Indian Premier League break and dream union with South African pace great Allan Donald. Australian one-day paceman Richardson tonight touches down on the subcontinent to start a life-changing $700,000 debut IPL gig with Donald's Pune Warriors. Pune snapped up Richardson despite him playing just six first-class games - drawn by the strapping 22-year-old's 140km/h seamers, handy batting and dynamic fielding. However, a back "hot spot" flared while he was representing Australia A against England Lions in Hobart six weeks ago, jeopardising a payday second only to Mumbai Indians allrounder Glenn Maxwell's $1 million 2013 auction price. "I think it was after three weeks I got an email asking me why I hadn't been playing," Richardson said. New head coach Donald wanted his key recruit to lead a climb from last season's bottom finish in the IPL. Allan got a bit worried and asked if a replacement player was needed but I have had six weeks off and am good to go. Richardson rates linking with first-time head coach Donald - who took 330 wickets at 22 in 72 Tests using premium 150km/h fast bowling - as a priceless cricket education. Donald has said he wants to help Richardson "make an impact" and the protege wants in on trade secrets from "White Lightning," having closely watched South Africa's top-shelf attack dismantle Australia 2-1 this summer. I have Allan Donald as a bowling coach. He is one of the greatest that has ever been," Richardson said ahead of Friday's competition opener against Risers in Hyderabad. He now leads that great South African pace attack and just learning what blokes like Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel do will be awesome. If I can take anything away from him, it would be awesome. Richardson, however, is gutted he won't get to play under his childhood idol, Michael Clarke, at Pune. Australian skipper Clarke is sidelined until June by a degenerative back condition, but "Richo" will still have familiar faces at the Warriors franchise. "I was looking forward to Michael Clarke being captain and having that taken away is a bit of blow," said Richardson, who left Adelaide yesterday with Royal Challengers Bangalore signing Dan Christian. It was probably always going to happen that he was going to get a bit sore. The priority for him is playing the Ashes. We have a couple of Aussies in our squad in Steve Smith and Mitchell Marsh, but we are all in the same boat trying to win games for Pune so I am looking forward to getting over and meeting everyone. Richardson insists he is free of the yips that got him banned from the Australian attack on debut against Sri Lanka in Adelaide in January for running on the pitch. Moreover, he doesn't blame remedial work on his action and run-up for the back ailment that sabotaged a tilt at one-day and Sheffield Shield silverware with South Australia. I don't know if the injury had much to do with the change in action. My shoulders took a bit of the brunt if anything because of the load up," said Richardson, whose modified action with Redbacks bowling coach Rob Cassell delivered a competition-high 21 wickets at 13 in the Ryobi Cup. Opening-round omissions for SA's Sheffield Shield and one-day games fired up Richardson, who finished second to Victoria's Aaron Finch in Ryobi Cup player-of-the-year voting. However, winning silverware with a Redbacks side that fizzed late in the season remains a priority. "I was disappointed missing out on that first one-dayer, and even the Shield where I wasn't picked, so when I got back in I wanted to stay in," Richardson said.