An open letter to Symmo - the bad boy!

To

Andrew Symonds,
Former all-rounder,
Australia

Dear Sir,

I am sad to hear that you have called it a day from all kinds of professional cricket, and I won’t lie in saying that, as an ardent cricket-lover, I will miss you a lot.

Ever since your ODI debut in 1998 against Pakistan, I have always been interested in your game-play. Through all your playing years, you’ve been an asset for the national side with your big-hitting prowess, ability to pull up your team from any situation, athletic fielding and a rare ability to bowl off-spin and medium pace. Yes, it is true that your career has been riddled with controversy, but it is by no means an easy task to keep on playing with an average of 40 at an amazing strike-rate of 90 in spite of these things.

It has not been a smooth journey for you in Test cricket ever since your long-awaited debut in 2004. But you have proved your mettle by scoring 1462 runs off 26 matches. Still, you have been on and off the field quite a number of times regarding disciplinary issues, as you haven’t been that typical good-boy of cricket!

I won’t like to incur your wrath by mentioning those controversies and issues, but it had been quite heartening to see that you had let go of your inhibitions to play alongside Harbhajan Singh in the Mumbai Indians outfit in the DLF Indian Premier League. Moreover, you played a pivotal role in the triumph of your team Deccan Chargers, in IPL 2009. Also, your stints with the Mongoose bat was worth watching in the third season as you went on to score two half-centuries with it.

Often the “villain” of Australian cricket, you haven’t been the blued-eyed-boy in the eyes of the selectors. But even then, you have always been a treat to watch and a total package of entertainment! Thank you Sir, for all your contributions to the gentleman’s game. Cricket hasn’t seen many bad boys, and that is perhaps the reason why you have been such an entertainer (I think “disgrace” is too harsh a word)!

I wish you all the best for your future. And what can be more exciting than your autobiography, that will kindle a few more controversies?! Looking forward to it, Sir.

Regards,

An entertainment-lover.