A relieved Andrew Symonds today confidently backed himself to shrug off his dreadful domestic form to seamlessly slot straight back into the Australian test team.
Symonds admitted he felt slightly surprised but in no way lucky to be picked in a 13-man squad for the first test against New Zealand, starting next Thursday at the Gabba.
His inclusion, and possible recall to the 11 alongside or at the expense of fellow all-rounder Shane Watson, comes after he completed a two-month Cricket Australia rehabilitation program following his "gone fishing" controversy in Darwin.
But selectors bit the bullet yesterday and announced his return despite failing with the bat in both Sheffield Shield and Ford Ranger Cup action for Queensland.
Although he's averaging just 13 from three Shield matches and 21 in four one-dayers, Symonds strongly denied his confidence had wavered and dismissed domestic form as a non-issue.
"I earned the right to wear my baggy green cap and I lost that through my own stupidity, so now hopefully I can regain it and wear it with distinction," he said today.
"Bear in mind I wasn't dropped from the side for form but I'll be doing my best to get myself back into batting form.
"Some of the wickets we've played on have been very difficult.
"That's cricket, you get one chance when you bat and I've used mine up very quickly.
"The wickets that we play test cricket on are probably a little bit different so hopefully batting (in the first Test) is a little more manageable." While it's hard to see Watson or rookie offspinner Jason Krejza, who took 12 wickets on debut in the fourth test in India, dropped, there is a groundswell of support for Symonds to make an immediate return.
Chief selector Andrew Hilditch, Cricket Australia's Centre of Excellence boss Greg Chappell, veteran opener Matthew Hayden and his former batting partner Justin Langer all today spoke of his importance to the test team.
Even though Watson was one of Australia's best performers in the 2-0 series loss to India, there's a belief Australia sorely missed Symonds' X-factor and steely aggression. "It did hurt, watching the boys go through what they went through in India, and there were a couple of times where I was sitting there and I wanted to be the next in to bat," he said.
"Hopefully to be back will be a great feeling because it did hurt me deep down inside to be out of it for a while there." Symonds, who returns to the national set-up in tomorrow night's Twenty20 exhibition match against the Adam Gilchrist-led All Stars, playing alongside Watson, expects a decision on a recall to go down to the wire.
"I'm only in the 13 at this point, too, though, that's still playing on my mind a little bit," he said.
"I don't know what the balance of the team will be so I suppose closer to the day and maybe even the morning of the game, depending on the weather and what the balance of the team will be. "I've got a nervous wait to go yet." Symonds thanked supporters "from all corners of the globe", including skipper Ricky Ponting who doesn't want the swashbuckler to change his style at all.
"I reckon I will come back a better person, whether I can come back a better player is up to me as well," he said.
"I've enjoyed the experience of going through this (CA program) now that I've been through it. I did need it and hopefully it helps me with the continuation on with my life."
