Brisbane: Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has said that it was to good to see Andrew Symonds back into the team, but added that he would like to see the “same old Symo" and would not want him to change his personality.

“I don't expect him to be the model citizen when he comes back into the side, I expect him to be the Andrew Symonds of old. That's what we all love about him. We all love his personality and the way he is around the team," The News quoted Ponting as saying.

“With the speed of Symonds' return - and his form - it is easy to wonder what the point of the exercise was if the squad is happy for him to be the same old Symo," Ponting said.

He added: “It was important that we got him back into our team. Being a senior member of our team and a very successful member before he went out of it, it almost becomes an injury-type replacement. He''s been out for a couple of months. He''s fit and ready to go and deserves his spot back in the side."

According to the paper, Symonds has scored only 70 runs in three Sheffield Shield games for Queensland, “but Ponting has been impressed with his work in the nets this week and retains faith in his 'big-game" qualities."

Ponting said he hoped for more of the version of Symonds that scored 777 runs in his nine previous Tests, instead of the one that has struggled since undergoing psychological sessions as part of his rehabilitation. 

“He does add a lot to your team," Ponting said and added: “He adds that X-factor, he adds that great presence in the field. He can bowl you some medium pace and offspin, so with that sort of cricketer in the line-up, so far as balance goes, it is excellent."

Symonds was suspended following his fishing trip in Darwin before the one-day series against Bangladesh in August, but he has convinced himself, Cricket Australia and his teammates that he is ready to resume the No. 6 spot.

ANI

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