Watson likely to return for fourth Test against India

Shane Watson returned home after being dropped for the 3rd Test on disciplinary grounds.

Melbourne - Australia vice-captain Shane Watson is likely to return to India for the fourth Test there next week and will also make himself available for the Ashes.

Herald Sun, quoting sources close to Watson, said he has “cooled on retirement threats” and “will take the first steps towards atonement by considering a return to India next week to prepare for the final Test in Delhi”.

“He is likely to stay with wife Lee and their newborn son, Will, for three or four days, which would still give him time to be on deck for the final Test in Delhi,” the daily said.

Watson, along with Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Johnson and James Pattinson, was on Monday dumped for the third Test for a breach of discipline.

An angry Watson left Chandigarh for home immediately, to be with his pregnant wife, and after landing here said he would consider quitting Test cricket.

Watson was also surprised by Cricket Australia (CA) high-performance chief Pat Howard’s suggestion that he is only a team player “sometimes”.