Symonds retires from professional cricket
February 16th, 2012 - 9:06 pm ICT by IANS
Sydney, Feb 16 (IANS) Australian cricketer Andrew Symonds Thursday announced his retirement from all forms of the game citing family reasons.
The all-rounder has not represented the national side for three years. He was sent back from the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup in England for disciplinary reasons and since then has not donned the Australian colours. Symonds, who has an IPL contract, will not be representing the Mumbai Indians in the 2012 edition.
“Effective immediately, I am retiring from all forms of professional cricket,” Symonds said.
“It is with regret that I will not be able to fulfil my final year of the IPL with the Mumbai Indians. Mumbai Indians and the IPL have both been very supportive of me, but the impending arrival of my first child is a priority.”
The Australian all-rounder, who was bought for a whopping $850,000 in IPL auction 2011, had a torrid time as he failed to make a half-century in either the IPL or the Champions League T20.
Symonds is best known in India for the ‘Monkeygate’ controversy. In India’s 2008 tour to Australia, the all-rounder accused off-spinner Harbhajan Singh of racially abusing him in the Sydney Test.
‘Symmo’ as he is called by his teammates has played 26 Tests and 198 One-day Internationals averaging 40.61 and 39.75, respectively.
- Symmo, Bhajji in the same eleven! - Jan 08, 2011
- 'Monkeygate' foes Symonds and Bhajji now Mumbai Indians dressing room IPL mates - Jan 09, 2011
- Clarke, Dhoni feel there won't be a Monkeygate thanks to IPL - Jan 02, 2012
- Australian media digs up Monkeygate to tarnish Tendulkar's image - Jan 02, 2012
- Symonds essays role in Bollywood flick 'Patiala House' - Feb 10, 2011
- Mumbai Indians sign Smith for injured Johnson - May 02, 2012
- 2008 Monkeygate inspired India at Perth: Hussey - Jan 09, 2012
- Warner will thrive under heavy workload - Jan 19, 2012
- Ex-Oz keeper Healy says frazzled Symonds secretly relieved at being axed - Jun 05, 2009
- Stars to watch out for in IPL-V - Apr 03, 2012
- Kohli, Jadeja under pressure to perform: Akram - Apr 04, 2012
- Clarke asks his team to play fair against India - Dec 24, 2011
- India will remember Roebuck for his indictment of Australian team - Nov 13, 2011
- Clarke quits T20 cricket to focus on Tests - Jan 07, 2011
- Warne announces comeback with Big Bash franchise Melbourne Stars - Nov 08, 2011
Tags: Andrew Symonds, auction, australian cricketer, champions league, colours, controversy, cricket, disciplinary reasons, harbhajan singh, impending arrival, indians, ipl, mumbai, priority, retirement, rounder, t20, teammates, torrid time, twenty20 world cup