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Andrew Symonds’ future with the Australian team will be decided once he makes himself available for selection, and the decision will be based purely on cricketing grounds, Jamie Cox, one of Australia’s selectors, said in Bangalore.

“As far as selection is concerned, it is up to Andrew on when he makes himself available,” Cox, currently touring India with the Australia A team, said. “The decision [to send him back] was made by a group of senior player groups in support of Australian cricket. And we hope that Andrew is back quickly.”

Cox was quick to dismiss notions that Symonds would be an automatic choice in the team if he made himself available for selection. “As of now Andrew has been given time to sort things out. But we will make a decision [about his selection] when that time comes around,” he said. “But the decision to pick him, will surely be on cricketing grounds. It will have nothing to do with whatever has happened recently. Disciplinary issues will have no bearing on that decision.”

Symonds was sent home from Darwin ahead of the ODI series against Bangladesh by the team’s leadership group after he chose to go fishing while skipping a team meeting. The latest misdemeanour - he had once turned up drunk for an ODI against the same opponents in 2005 - has invited criticism from a few former players, while others, including team-mate Shane Watson, have come out in support of the allrounder.

Source:Cricket News

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