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Australia’s Shane Watson has urged fellow allrounder Andrew Symonds not to waste his cricket talent by putting IPL dollars ahead of playing for his country.
Symonds is pondering his future after being sent home from Darwin last weekend because he went fishing instead of attending a team meeting.
While Watson admitted the lure of a $1.5 million pay cheque to play two months cricket in the Indian Premier League would tempt the reticent Symonds, he said it would be a waste.
“As a player, I love watching him playing for Australia and for the general public as well,” Watson said.
“I hope that’s (IPL) not the way he goes because I don’t want this to be the last of the Australian public seeing Andrew Symonds playing.
“I personally think it would be a waste, because he’s an amazingly talented player and I love watching him play.”
Given his disciplinary record and struggles with the demands of fame, there are real concerns from cricket officials that a full stint with the Deccan Chargers might provide Symonds with an escape.
Watson, the player of this year’s inaugural IPL tournament, today admitted the lucrative Twenty20 competition was the obvious option for if Symonds decided he’d had enough of international cricket.
And while Watson would be a major beneficiary of Symonds not playing Test cricket, he hoped it didn’t come down to that.
Watson was yet to speak to Symonds, but expected him to want to return to play for his country.
“I know Andrew Symonds well and I know deep down he’s worked so, so hard and been through a lot of ups and downs throughout his career to play for Australia,” he said.
“I’ve got no doubt in my mind that he’ll be back hopefully sooner rather than later when he knows his mind is exactly where he wants to be.”
Fast bowler Stuart Clark also expected Symonds to want to play for Australia again.
“It’s a great honour and he wants to put that baggy green (cap) back on,” Clarke told radio station 2XY.
“So my gut feeling, and I suppose there’s a little bit of hope that he wants to do it as well, is that he wants to do it and he’ll come straight back in.”
Symonds is unlikely to tour India with the Australian Test squad next month with selectors expected to name a squad within a fortnight.
Australia are yet to confirm the date of their departure as they are in talks with the Indian board about organising another warm-up match before the first Test.
If Symonds commits to playing for his country again, he is unlikely to be able to play for the Chargers next year given Australia’s commitments in South Africa, Pakistan and England will clash with the second IPL tournament, which runs from mid-April to early June.
Australian coach Tim Nielsen said he was not opposed to his players having stints in the IPL if time permitted, however management would decide on a case-by-case basis.
Australia and Bangladesh play the second one-day international at TIO Stadium tomorrow.
Australia won the first match by 180 runs.
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