Andrew Symonds says one of the biggest rifts in Australian cricket is over and declared himself mentally fit for a return to the Test team.Symonds was axed from the Australia team in August after going fishing instead of attending a scheduled team meeting in Darwin.
The decision led to tension with close mate and acting captain Michael Clarke, who was part of the leadership group that voted to sack Symonds ahead of the one-day series against Bangladesh.
Symonds was ordered to undergo counselling with sports psychologist Phil Jauncey as he was sent back to state and club cricket.
He and Clarke have partially patched up their friendship, with the big all-rounder revealing that he has been in contact with the Australia vice-captain throughout the current tour of India.
Symonds' latest book, Roy on the Rise, which details how he almost retired from international cricket after last summer's racism row dominated the four-Test series against India, hits stores on Monday.
"I was really happy for (Michael Clarke) when he scored that ton in the last Test," Symonds said. "It seemed like he'd been carrying a bit of weight on his shoulders.
"I spoke to him before that Test started and we've been texting a bit.
"In Darwin, he was in a position where he had to make a decision and I was in a position where I'd lost my spot in the Australian side.
"I was obviously frustrated and annoyed with the decision, but I now can look back on it and understand that a decision had to be made. At the end of the day, I did make a mistake - even if it was an accident.
"I haven't exactly been a choir boy.
"Hopefully me and him can have some innings in the future and some times together that will really bond us back as closely as we were.
"But our friendship is still very much alive, hopefully it will bring us closer together."
In a bid to win back his place in the national side, Symonds has been seeing sports psychologist Jauncey and speaking to Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland on a regular basis.
Despite struggling with Queensland, Symonds is a chance to be named in the Test team for the series opener against New Zealand at the Gabba in Brisbane, starting on November 20.
"That was my biggest worry when I came back from Darwin - whether I wanted the challenge anymore, but I do still want that," Symonds said.
"For the first time I've actually sat down and watched a little bit of cricket on TV.
"I've found myself sitting there wanting to be next in to bat a few times.
"I would have loved to have had that challenge of playing them over there. Obviously that wasn't to be, but I guess that's also a good sign that the hunger is there and I'm looking forward to when I hopefully can get back out there."
On the day he went fishing instead of attending a team meeting in Darwin, Symonds said: "That wasn't a decision, it was just a mistake. It wasn't like I went out and got drunk and had a fight. I just made a mistake.
"I was in bed early, got up early to go fishing and just misread my team sheet."
Cricket Australia chief executive Sutherland confirmed he had been in regular contact with Symonds over the past month and said he hoped to see him return to the Test team in the near future.
"Andrew understands where he is up to in this exercise and we agree that he has made significant progress during his enforced lay-off," Sutherland said.
"Like his many fans around Australia, we're very much looking forward to having Andrew back.
"When he is up and firing, he is one of the very best players in the world.
"I hope that it is not too long before he is again available for Australian selection."
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