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Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland has not ruled out troubled allrounder Andrew Symonds making his Test comeback in Brisbane next month.
In keeping with Symonds’ fishbowl existence, the Australian discard received an update on his progress since the “gone fishing” controversy in front of a packed room of people.
Symonds looked on at today’s Queensland Bulls corporate season launch at the Gabba as Sutherland addressed the luncheon – and the subject inevitably turned to the axed allrounder.
Just weeks after Symonds succumbed to life as one of Australia’s most high profile cricketers in the now infamous Darwin saga, Sutherland believes the Queenslander is ready to step back into the limelight.
“It’s great to see him here,” Sutherland said turning to Symonds.
“I have had a couple of chats with Andrew in the last few weeks. I have got a really good feeling about the way he is working towards coming back.
“He wants nothing more than to be playing for the Australian cricket team and that’s a pretty good step.
“He knows talk is cheap, it’s actions that count.
“I’m confident after talking to him and others in the Bulls camp about how he is applying himself (that) he won’t be too far away.”
Outside the luncheon, Sutherland would not rule out Symonds chiming into the Australian side for the first Test against New Zealand at Brisbane from November 20.
“I don’t think anything is impossible,” he told reporters.
“He is in great shape. He said publicly that he knows he wants to get back to playing cricket for Australia and is working hard towards that.
“The senior group that made the recommendation in terms of standing him down had some concerns that could be summarised as … wanting a committed Andrew Symonds to be a part of the Australian cricket team – that is what we are all working towards.”
But Sutherland stressed there was no deadline for Symonds’ return.
“There is no point in putting timelines or expectations around that,” he said.
“I think Andrew has quite rightly been careful not to build any expectations.
“From his point of view there are things that he wants to work on and he is doing that.
“We are all on the same page in terms of wanting to see Andrew back playing for Australia.”
Symonds has humbly returned to Brisbane first grade cricket since his axing.
He has only featured in five Twenty20 matches for Queensland against Indian Premier League Kolkata Knight Riders to date, amassing a total of just 17 runs.
Symonds will have three Sheffield Shield matches to press his first Test claims, starting with their opener against Tasmania at the Gabba from Friday.
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