Symonds out as Oz name squad for India tour

MELBOURNE: All-rounder Andrew Symonds and left-arm chinamen Beau Casson have been left out of the squad while spinner Bryce McGain has been included in the team as Australia on Friday announced a 15 member squad for the four-Test VB Tour of India starting next month.
     
National Selection Panel Chairman Andrew Hilditch said Symonds, who was sent packing after his "gone fishing" saga in Darwin during the one-dayers against Bangladesh last month, is now in a process of introspection and will be considered once he is fully fit.
    
"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 for a cricketer to be a member of the world's number one team," Hilditch said.
    
"Cricket Australia has told us that selectors will be advised once Andrew can be considered again for selection and we hope we can look forward to that advice in due course because as we all know, a fit and fully-committed Andrew Symonds can be a world beater," he added.
    
Besides 36-year-old McGain, who is set to make his debut against India, right-arm spinner Jason Krejza have also been included in the squad and Hilditch feels the spinners will do well in Indian conditions.
    
"We are pleased with the balance achieved in this squad. We have selected two internationally inexperienced spinners but we feel they are the right kind of spinners for the conditions and have faith they will both do very well when given opportunities," he said.

"Bryce McGain was the standout leg-spinner at interstate level last year and we think he is really well suited to the Indian conditions and bowling plans.
    
"Jason Krejza had a good season for Tasmania last year but is a selection very much for Indian conditions. The selectors felt right-arm finger spinners would perform well in India," he added.
    
Among the pacers, youngsters Doug Bollinger and Peter Siddle have been given a chance to play for Australia, while all-rounder Shane Watson has been included to provide extra flexibility to the team.    

Batting mainstays Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden are also recovering fast from injuries and Hilditch expects the duo would be fit and play a pivotal role in the Series which starts on October 9 in Bangalore.
    
"Matthew Hayden has again been selected subject to fitness however his and Ricky Ponting's rehabilitation has gone very well to date and we expect both will play a large role in the tour," Hilditch said.
    
The 15-member squad: Ricky Ponting (c), Michael Clarke (vc), Doug Bollinger, Stuart Clark, Brad Haddin, Matthew Hayden, Michael Hussey, Phil Jaques, Mitchell Johnson, Simon Katich, Jason Krejza, Brett Lee, Bryce McGain, Peter Siddle, Shane Watson.