Andrew Symonds: A gifted all-rounder who had his share of controversies
Andrew Symonds was a complete cricketer. Be it batting, bowling, or fielding, he excelled in all three departments of the game.
A gifted cricketer, he could smash boundaries at will, bowl medium pace and off-spin to give crucial breakthroughs, and was outstanding with his fielding, saving runs and running batsmen out with direct hits. He was an entertainer on the field.
Symonds, who was also known as Roy (because his junior side coach thought he resembled Brisbane basketball star Leroy Loggins), died on Saturday night (May 14) in a car crash in Australia. He would have turned 47 next month (June 9). He is survived by his wife Laura, children Chloe and Billy.
During his cricket career between 1998 and 2011, he played 26 Tests, 198 ODIs and 14 T20Is for Australia. He also featured in 39 Indian Premier League (IPL) matches, representing the now-defunct Deccan Chargers, and Mumbai Indians. He scored 6,887 runs and took 165 wickets in international cricket.
Adopted child
Symonds was born in Birmingham, England, on June 9, 1975, to Afro-Caribbean and European parents. As a baby, he was given for adoption to schoolteachers Ken and Barbara Symonds.
“I am an adopted child, right, so I don’t actually know my natural parents. I have never met them. But when I was six weeks old, my mother and father went to the clinic and they applied to adopt a child. And so the way that things worked back in those days was, they got to take me home for a week and just trial me. A test drive,” Symonds had told The Brett Lee Podcast.
“And, I remember mum tells the story that they took me home for the week and I played up and cried and was terrible, and so they went back to the clinic and were asked, ‘How did he go?’ and she goes, ‘You know, he was an angel. He was perfect. We’d like to keep him’. So they signed all the paperwork and I became Andrew Symonds, going home with Kenneth Walter Symonds and Barbara Symonds as their son,” Symonds had recalled.
Later, they emigrated to Australia. Symonds, since was born in England, was eligible to play for England, but he always wanted to represent Australia.
Announcing his arrival in cricket
In 1994, he was picked for England A to tour Pakistan, but Symonds pulled out and maintained, “I am Australian through and through, mate.”
He made his first-class debut in 1994-95 for Queensland, Australia.
Symonds, at the age of 20, announced his arrival in 1995 with a blistering 254 not out off 203 balls for Gloucestershire county against Glamorgan in a first-class match. The right-hander blitzed a world record 16 sixes and was only broken 20 years later.
His dream of playing for Australia was realised in 1998, at the age of 23 when he debuted under Steve Waugh’s captaincy in a ODI against Pakistan in Lahore.
Though he did not have much success at the international level initially, his career-turning moment arrived at Johannesburg’s The Wanderers Stadium in the 2003 World Cup.
With Australia in deep trouble in that game against a bowling attack comprising Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Shoaib Akhtar, Symonds turned the match with an outstanding 143 not out off 125 balls. Later, Australia went on to win the World Cup in South Africa. Four years later, Symonds won a second World Cup, this time in the Caribbean in 2007.
In 2004, he won the coveted Baggy Green to make his Test debut against Sri Lanka in Galle. But it was in 2006 that he hit his first Test ton, here again, pulling the team out of trouble in an Ashes campaign. He added one more hundred in the format, against India in 2008, but his Test career never really took off.
‘Monkeygate’ episode
One of the lowest moments of Symonds’ career came when he accused Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh of making racist comment by calling him “monkey” during the infamous Sydney Test in 2008. In the same game, he had hit a match-winning and career-best 162 not out after being reprieved by the umpire. A year earlier, he had accused Indian fans of taunting him with “monkey chants” during matches.
His Test journey ended in the same year as he failed to add to his tally after 2008.
Though Harbhajan was banned for “racial comments”, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) appealed and the ban was overturned and the charge downgraded.
Symonds himself had admitted that the ‘Monkeygate’ scandal affected his career. His captain Ricky Ponting wrote in his autobiography that Symonds did not get enough support in that episode.
“The way that they (Cricket Australia) handled the Harbhajan incident was poor, very poor. That impacted on, I’d say, all the players that were involved because of the way it was handled… I felt responsible for my mates that were involved in the whole situation. That was a thing that weighed heavily on me as well. That was probably the beginning of the end,” Symonds had told in an interview with Cricbuzz in 2020.
“I started to drink heavily as a result of it (Sydney scandal) and my life was starting to dissolve around me. I felt guilty that I’d dragged my mates into something I didn’t think they deserved to be involved in,” he said in 2018.
Costliest overseas player in IPL
When IPL was launched in 2008, Symonds was the second-biggest buy in the inaugural players’ auction. Deccan Chargers signed him up for $1.35 million (his base price was $2,50,000), which was at the time the costliest overseas buy, and overall second behind Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni ($1.5 million).
In 2009, Symonds and Deccan Chargers won the IPL title under Adam Gilchrist’s captaincy when the tournament was held in South Africa. Later, Symonds played for Mumbai Indians, along with Harbhajan, where the duo buried the hatchet of the Sydney controversy.
Overall, Symonds featured in 39 IPL games, scoring 974 runs with one century and five fifties. He also took 20 wickets in the Twenty20 league. His last IPL game was in 2011.
Drinking issues
Apart from the Sydney episode, Symonds found himself in the news for all the wrong reasons over his indiscipline. In 2005, he was banned for two matches after turning up drunk for a game against Bangladesh during the tour of England.
“At times I was drinking too much and I wasn’t a good bloke to be around,” Symonds once told Channel Nine.
“I go out and drink hard all in one hit – too fast, too much,” he said in 2009 while talking to the same channel.
In 2008, he was sent home from Darwin for missing a team meeting as he went out fishing. In 2009, Symonds was sent home from the 2009 World Twenty20 in England after an “alcohol-related incident”.
Acting career
Symonds played himself in the Bollywood movie Patiala House in 2011. He also appeared in the Bigg Boss reality show.
A loyal friend
For several Australian cricketers, Symonds was a mate who could do anything for them. Matthew Hayden was one of his best friends. Gilchrist too was friends with Symonds and was shocked by his mate’s sudden demise.
Symonds’ last Instagram post was mourning his former teammate Shane Warne’s death in March. “Devastated, I’m hoping this is all a bad dream I just can’t get my head around never seeing you again. Love to all the Warne family I’m speechless,” he had posted with two pictures of him and Warne together.
Tributes pour in
“Think of your most loyal, fun, loving friend who would do anything for you. That’s Roy,” tweeted Gilchrist.
Former Australian cricketer Darren Lehmann wrote, “Look after yourself up there great man, I am heartbroken, loved him so much and our thoughts are with the family at this time. Hug your loved ones.”
Cricket Australia (CA) called Symonds a “cult figure”.
“Australian cricket has lost another of its very best. Andrew was a generational talent who was instrumental in Australia’s success at World Cups and as part of Queensland’s rich cricket history. He was a cult figure to many who was treasured by his fans and friends. On behalf of Australian cricket our deepest sympathies are with Andrew’s family, team-mates, and friends,” said CA chair Lachlan Henderson.
Sachin Tendulkar recalled his time with Symonds at Mumbai Indians. “Andrew Symonds demise is shocking news for all of us to absorb. Not only was he a brilliant all-rounder, but also a live-wire on the field. I have fond memories of the time we spent together in Mumbai Indians. May his soul rest in peace, condolences to his family & friends.”
Brian Lara said he exchanged messages with Symonds just hours before the car accident. “We exchanged messages just hours ago… what’s really going on? Baffled and heartbroken! How could we lose another iconic figure in our sport so soon (broken heart emoji). RIP Roy. Condolences to Andrew’s family and close friends. #unfair,” Lara tweeted.
Queensland Cricket Chair Chris Simpson, who played alongside Symonds for the Bulls, said, “On behalf of Queensland Cricket, we express our deepest sympathies to his family and will do whatever we can to assist them.”
“It is a shattering loss to those nearest to him, and his wide circle of friends which extend to all corners of the cricketing world.
“His untimely passing will also resonate deeply with the many fans who thrilled to his efforts with bat, ball and in the field. He stood out for his skill, courage and determination, and the fans who saw him at his best will never forget his impact on a game.
“We are all hurting and will miss him greatly. His former teammates will remember his loyalty to the playing group and recall the fun times with great fondness, and sorrow that he is gone,” he added.
Andrew Symond’s demise is shocking news for all of us to absorb. Not only was he a brilliant all-rounder, but also a live-wire on the field. I have fond memories of the time we spent together in Mumbai Indians.
May his soul rest in peace, condolences to his family & friends. pic.twitter.com/QnUTEZBbsD
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) May 15, 2022
Look after yourself up there great man, I am 💔, loved him so much and our thoughts are with the family at this time. Hug your loved ones xx #RIPRoy pic.twitter.com/1nWupFBqOK
— Darren Lehmann (@darren_lehmann) May 15, 2022
We exchanged messages just hours ago… what’s really going on? Baffled and heartbroken! How could we lose another iconic figure in our sport so soon 💔 RIP Roy
Condolences to Andrew’s family and close friends.#unfair— Brian Lara (@BrianLara) May 15, 2022
Have had the privilege to work with some “big names” in the IPL,as well as a couple of “big characters “. Andrew Symmonds was a fierce competitor and generous teammate. Arguably the greatest all-round fielder ever, on top of his contribution with both bat n ball. #RIPRoy pic.twitter.com/fhDDDIRWD1
— Jonty Rhodes (@JontyRhodes8) May 15, 2022
Think of your most loyal, fun, loving friend who would do anything for you. That’s Roy. 💔😞
— Adam Gilchrist (@gilly381) May 15, 2022
Can’t believe what I’ve just woken up to 😔
Thinking of his family, his teammates and everyone in the cricket community. We’ve lost another one of our hero’s #RIPRoy— Glenn Maxwell (@Gmaxi_32) May 15, 2022
Shocked to hear about the sudden demise of Andrew Symonds. Gone too soon. Heartfelt condolences to the family and friends. Prayers for the departed soul 🙏#RIPSymonds
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) May 15, 2022
— Michael Clarke (@MClarke23) May 15, 2022
One minute of Andrew Symonds direct-hit run outs! pic.twitter.com/MHRqNp1w1d
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) May 15, 2022