Cricket is called a gentleman's game but not all cricketers take the name seriously. Among such names is Andrew Symonds, Australia's former formidable all-rounder. Symonds carved a niche for himself in international cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL), but his career was marred by issues with alcohol, leading to his gradual disappearance from the sport. Tragically, Symonds' life came to an untimely end at the age of 46 due to a car accident in 2022.
Andrew Symonds was born in England
Born in England in 1975, Symonds harbored a dream to play Test cricket for Australia, a dream that was realised in 2004 with his Test debut against Sri Lanka. Prior to this, he had already made his mark in ODI cricket for Australia in 1998. Symonds was known for his agility on the field and his explosive batting, making him one of Australia's top finishers. However, his career was significantly shortened due to his struggle with alcohol addiction.
Symonds' alcohol problem
Symonds' issues with alcohol first became public in 2003 during the World Cup match against Pakistan, where he played an iconic innings of 145 runs. His alcohol consumption was rampant, occurring before matches, after matches, and during series breaks. His behavior reached a point where, after arriving drunk at the team hotel, he faced the ire of captain Ricky Ponting. In 2006, during Australia's tour of South Africa, Symonds was involved in a physical altercation with a rugby player, and in 2005, he was so inebriated before a match against Bangladesh that he could hardly stand.
New rule incorporated to keep Symonds in check
Recognising Symonds' uncontrollable behavior, Ponting introduced a rule before the 2009 T20 World Cup, stipulated by Cricket Australia, that players, including Symonds, were prohibited from drinking in public places and were advised to consume alcohol only within the team hotel. Despite these measures, Symonds did not amend his ways and was seen drinking before a rugby match, leading to the derailment of his international career in 2009.
Andrew Symonds in IPL
In the IPL, Symonds was signed by the Deccan Chargers in the inaugural edition in 2008 for approximately Rs 5 crore, on the insistence of Adam Gilchrist. Symonds played for the franchise until 2010 and was then bought by the Mumbai Indians in 2011 for around Rs 4 crore, marking his final IPL season. Over the four seasons, Symonds scored a total of 974 runs in 39 matches and took 20 wickets.
The infamous Monkeygate scandal
Symonds was also known for his involvement in the infamous "Monkeygate" scandal during the 2007-08 India's tour of Australia. Australian captain Ricky Ponting claimed that Harbhajan Singh had made a racial slur against Symonds, calling him a "monkey." The incident led to a ban on Harbhajan, which was met with strong solidarity from the Indian team, who supported Harbhajan and even considered abandoning the tour mid-way. Eventually, the decision was overturned, and Harbhajan was only fined his match fee.
An illustrious career, nonetheless!
Symonds' international career for Australia was significant despite its challenges. Up to 2009, he played 26 Test matches scoring 1462 runs, participated in 198 ODIs scoring 5088 runs, and played in 14 T20I matches, amassing 337 runs. His career, however, was overshadowed by his off-field issues, culminating in a tragic end.
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