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MUMBAI - Officials expect Australian Andrew Symonds to be hailed by the same fans who subjected him to monkey chants on a one-day cricket tour in October if he shines in the new Indian Premier League (IPL).
Indian supporters also reacted angrily last month when Australia alleged the allrounder was racially abused by India spinner Harbhajan Singh during the Sydney test.
Despite his fall-out with Indian spectators, the 32-year-old Symonds attracted the second most expensive bid in IPL's auction on Wednesday, the Hyderabad franchise buying him for US$1.35 million ($1.7 million) per year on a three-year contract.
"The Indian public is sporty. They love the game. If Symonds does well they will cheer him madly," T.A. Sekhar, sports administration vice president of GMR Holdings, owner of the Delhi franchise, said today.
Symonds and India's one-day captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who attracted the top bid of US$1.5 million, were sought by most of the eight franchises in the glitzy auction.
"Everyone knows Symonds can win a match single-handed and he is going to entertain them (the fans). They will love it," said former test bowler Sekhar.
Symonds is not expected to be available for the inaugural 44-day edition of the Twenty20 league which gets underway on April 18 because the dates clash with Australia's trip to Pakistan.
But he told Australian television on Wednesday he would stand by his decision to boycott any tour of Pakistan because of the security situation in that country.
- REUTERS
