Australia yesterday left out all-rounder Andrew Symonds for disciplinary reasons and chose 36-year-old leg-spinner Bryce McGain for next month’s four-Test tour of India.
Symonds is considering his future in international cricket after being axed from the Australian squad for this month’s one-day series against Bangladesh after opting to go fishing rather than attend a compulsory team meeting.
Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said Symonds will be left behind to give him time to consider his playing future.
“Andrew Symonds was stood down for disciplinary reasons in Darwin and is now going through a process managed by Cricket Australia designed to give him time to assess whether he is fully committed to all of the things needed to be a member of the world’s No. 1 team,” Hilditch said.
Australia selected McGain and Jason Krejza as their spinners in the 15-man party for the spin-friendly Indian wickets, and also included fast bowlers Doug Bollinger and Peter Siddle.
Hilditch said he expected McGain to be well suited to the Indian conditions and he had been selected subject to a fitness test on an injured right shoulder.
Hilditch said finger-spinner Krejza was another selection with an eye on the Indian conditions.
“Jason had a good season for Tasmania last year and the selectors felt right-arm finger spinners would perform well in India, and Jason now has a chance to prove himself at the international level,” he said.
Hilditch said Bollinger and Siddle had been included to gain valuable international experience, adding veteran opening batsman Matthew Hayden was selected subject to fitness on an Achilles injury.
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