Troubled Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds has been told by Cricket Australia to get psychological help and will be not be part of the upcoming tour of India, an report said Tuesday. Symonds is considering his future in international cricket after being booted out of the Australian squad for the ongoing one-day series against Bangladesh for opting to go fishing rather than attend a compulsory team meeting.
Australian officials have conceded they are not sure if Symonds will be available for the Indian tour in October, with the touring party expected to be named within the next couple of weeks. Australian coach Tim Nielsen admitted this week he had concerns about Symonds's state of mind, and there were reports the big Queenslander verbally clashed with interim captain Michael Clarke when he learnt of his expulsion from the Bangladesh squad.
The Daily Telegraph reported on Tuesday that Symonds had been instructed to undergo a rehabilitation programme similar to that wayward speedster Shaun Tait undertook after deciding to take a break from cricket earlier this year. It also reported that Symonds would not tour India. "It is understood the strife-torn cricketer has been asked to go on a rehabilitation programme, overseen by Cricket Australia medical staff, in which he would see counsellors about his state of mind," it said.
"It is also understood Symonds has no chance of touring India in October as he spends time deciding whether he wants to return to international cricket." The Daily Telegraph said Symonds had grown increasingly unhappy with his lot as an Australian player over the past 12 months. Aside from his latest drama, over the past year Symonds has been involved in an on-field dispute with Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh, upset Australian officials by declaring he would not play in troubled Pakistan and was fined for missing a team bus in the West Indies.
There has been consistent speculation over whether Symonds will turn his back on international cricket and instead ply his trade in the Twenty20 Indian Premier League, where the powerful all-rounder was the highest-paid foreign player in the inaugural season.
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