Aussies may not be that lethal without Symonds

: As much as India-Australia series are about keen contests, they are also about personalities - a stylish batsman like VVS Laxman turning a Test match on its head, a tear-away fast bowler like Brett Lee ripping through the opposition and personalities like Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds adding drama to the goings on.

Does the absence of a player like Symonds make much of a difference to a top team like Australia? Is it only a psychological difference or will the team miss the all-rounder in various departments? Cricketnext.com caught up with a number of former players to try and gauge the brawny cricketers’ importance for the Australian team, which is due to tour India next month. Symonds, as you would know, may not tour India owing to disciplinary problems during the ongoing tour of Bangladesh.

Former India wicket-keeper Kiran More, who was the chief selector before Dilip Vengsarkar took over, felt Symonds was a key player for Australia who had proved himself in Indian conditions.

"He is a top class player, who can swing the match with his hard-hitting batting and brilliant fielding. He is also a useful medium-pacer who can turn the ball on spinner-friendly wickets," More told, Cricketnext.com.

"I would consider him as the most dangerous player in world cricket because of his ability to adjust to different conditions. He can also change gears according to the situation of the match," added the former Baroda player.

"Even though the Aussies have managed to find good replacements in the past, it will be a big task to find someone to replace Symonds. His explosive batting can be compared to former greats like Vivian Richards and his utility as an all-rounder can be as much as Garry Sobers’ used to be for the West Indies," felt More.


Courtesy:ibnlive.com
Complete artical HERE