'Nervous wait' for recalled Symonds

Andrew Symonds believes his lack of form for Queensland will not stop him contributing to the Test team if he makes the starting line-up for next week's first Test against New Zealand. Symonds has been named in a 13-man squad for the Gabba Test and if he plays it will be his first time back in the baggy green since the tour of the West Indies this year.

He has completed a two-month Cricket Australia rehabilitation programme, which followed his axing from the squad in Darwin when he went fishing instead of attending a team meeting. The selectors have shown faith in Symonds despite his disappointing Sheffield Shield efforts in the past month, when he has scored 80 runs at 13.33 in three games.

"I earned the right to wear my baggy green cap, and I lost that through my own stupidity, so now hopefully I can regain it and wear it with distinction," Symonds told AAP. "Bear in mind, I wasn't dropped from the side for form but I'll be doing my best to get myself back into batting form. Some of the wickets we've played on have been very difficult."

Symonds was an automatic selection in the No. 6 spot in Tests until his fishing trip and Shane Watson took the role for the recent tour of India. Both men have been named in the 13-man Gabba squad and the chairman of selectors, Andrew Hilditch, said Symonds' lack of domestic runs would not be held against him.

"We're selecting a great player, we don't think he had anything to prove," Hilditch told the Australian. "We picked the side on the basis that we were really happy with Shane Watson in India. He's got to cement a spot in the top six.

"Shane we see as a top-six batter doing some very valuable bowling for us, which he did in India. [He] exceeded our expectations really; he bowled really well, so we are very happy with his performance. He deserves to be in the squad, whether they both play together we'll decide up there."

One member of the group will be released from the squad on Tuesday although that is more likely to be one of the fast bowlers, probably Peter Siddle. The exact makeup of the starting 11 might not be decided until the morning of the Test, which begins on Thursday, and Symonds knows he is no certainty to play.

"I'm only in the 13 at this point, too, though, that's still playing on my mind a little bit," Symonds said. "I don't know what the balance of the team will be, so I suppose closer to the day and maybe even the morning of the game, depending on the weather and what the balance of the team will be. I've got a nervous wait to go yet."

Symonds has averaged 72.40 in Test matches in the past 12 months and Australia could have used his consistency in India, where they went down 2-0 and lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Symonds said it was tough being at home in Queensland, where he could do nothing to help his colleagues.

"It did hurt, watching the boys go through what they went through in India, and there were a couple of times where I was sitting there and I wanted to be the next in to bat," Symonds said. "Hopefully, to be back will be a great feeling because it did hurt me deep down inside to be out of it for a while there."