With Australia struggling to keep their domination in world cricket intact, their reluctance to call on Andrew Symonds for the ongoing India tour puzzles Western Australia coach Tom Moody, who feels there is more to the "gone fishing" story than meets the eye.
Moody wondered why Symonds, whose explosive batting and part-time off-spin have helped Australia in the past, was left out of the four-match Test series in India and that too for an offence like missing a regulation team meeting to go fishing in Darwin in August.
"Without knowing the actual details of what the discipline is, the only thing we know as the public is that Andrew Symonds went fishing and missed a meeting," Moody was quoted as saying by the Australian Associated Press.
"So if that's the case he's serving a pretty long penalty. Obviously there must be more there. That's why he's playing for Queensland and not Australia," said the cricketer-turned-coach.
"There's obviously underlying reasons why Symonds is still here in Australia but I think if you put aside all the issues that may be underlying and pick your best Australian team to play in the third Test match in Delhi, Symonds would probably be one of the first guys you would pencil in.
"He's one player that can take away the game from the opposition with the bat, and his off-spin has proven to be invaluable given the lack of experience we have in that department."
Though the 33-year-old Symonds has apologised for the fishing incident, he was not considered for the series against India even after spinner Bryce McGain and opener Phil Jaques were forced to return home due to injury.
