RIP Andrew Symonds: Lesser known facts about the late cricketer’s spell in India and Bollywood

Tragic news broke out earlier today, as the world learnt that Andrew Symonds, who once dominated world cricket, passed away after a car crash in Townsville, Queensland.

While Indians still remember his mammoth presence with the bat, his controversial bust-up with Harbhajan Singh and his pinpoint accuracy when fielding, these are some lesser-known facts about Symonds, who has had a short stint in Bollywood. 

The late cricketer was part of the Bollywood film Patiala House in 2011. The sports drama, which revolved around cricket, starred Akshay Kumar, Rishi Kapoor, and Dimple Kapadia. Cricketers such as Nasser Hussain, Kieron Pollard, Herschelle Gibbs, and Sanjay Manjrekar also appeared in the movie. 

Symonds also appeared in the fifth season of the fan-favourite reality show, Bigg Boss. He appeared as a wildcard contestant in the show that was hosted by Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt. Pooja Misrra, another contestant on the show, helped with translations on the show that was aired in 2012. 

In 2013, Symonds returned to the Indian entertainment scene, this time by showing off his dancing skills. He joined Bipasha Basu in a dance number for the Glam Night associated with the Celebrity Cricket League. 

Symonds is synonymous with power hitting and had a reputation for playing the game how it was meant to be played. While a controversial moment was never far away every time he faced the Indian men’s cricket team in tournaments such as the Border-Gavaskar tournament, he was able to become a fan favourite after being an important player for the Indian Premier League franchises Deccan Chargers and Mumbai Indians. 

While the sudden passing of the two-time World Cup-winning allrounder puts a damper on our days, Bollywood fans can celebrate him for always finding a way to keep us entertained. Rest in Peace, Andrew Symonds.